Probably one of the best brunches ever. Definitely try this place.
(4)
Victor A.
Definitely a disappointment. Took the family while on a road trip and went in with high hopes based on the reviews here. It's not terrible, but it certainly is nothing to rave about. I ordered the eggs over hash browns "smothered" in cream chipped beef. There were barely two tablespoons of the chipped beef, never mind "smothered," and the potatoes weren't real, they were some frozen cubed fries and Ore-Ida makes better than what I was served. No decent breakfast place can serve frozen fries as hash browns. Waffles and some of the baked goods seemed fine, but nothing spectacular. French toast was very good. Service was slow and indifferent. Sorry, folks, but if you consider this place great, you need to try a few more places. It's average, at best.
(2)
Peter S.
How anyone can rate this as anything less than 5 stars is beyond me. The food is fabulous. My wife and I had a week alone so we hit all the local restaurants for appetizers and drinks. Chart House, eh, lousy appetizers ~ $80. Severn Inn, okay, but $110 (drinks and appetizers). Then we went to Main Ingredient. Full Dinner, wine ~ $70 and it was FABULOUS. Granted, the atmosphere is kinda cheesy, but the food is 5 star. My wife had bugged me to go there for a while, and boy was she right. Really, food is WAY better than Chart House, Severn Inn and lots of others. Really fresh, great tastes, etc. It doesn't have a great view and kinda lacks for ambiance, but the food is first class.
(5)
Christine S.
I ate the Snickerdoodle french toast like everyone said to do and I would say it is very good, but not the best french toast you've ever tried. It's definitely something you could make at home and just one of those things that you order at a restaurant because it's comfort food. The original eggs benedict was good, but kind of on the heavy side.
(3)
Annie T.
I live in DC and eat at The Main Ingredient whenever I visit family in Annapolis (about once a month). This is honestly one of my favorite restaurants (including both DC and Annapolis). The food is consistently excellent, creative, executed perfectly, and the portion size is always generous. Here, the food is the star (trust me, the decor is not much to look at). I have never had a bad, much less a mediocre meal here. Last night our table started with the garides me feta. It was outstanding and the sauce was incredible. I had the Salmon Pisana--also amazing. The artichoke wine sauce was wonderful and the portion was generous. My family members had the fish and chips and seafood puttanesca. Both were excellent. I have also been here for breakfast and the food has been just as good. I realize this is not part of historic annpolis, but what the restaurant lacks in location/decor, it makes up for in food. If you are ever in Annpolis, you must try this restaurant.
(5)
Karen M.
Based on the reviews I expected so much more... It pays to check it out on your own. Went for Mothers Day and would say that the food was ok but certainly not great. Also, there were a few grievous things that really should take this review to 0. First there was lipstick on my sister's coffee cup. My pancake was raw in the middle. When we pointed these things out the server didn't apologize but rather made an excuse and then took the items away. No apology... No discount... No good. Many reviews recommended the snicker doodle French toast. It was good but sweet. The ckn and waffles is a waffle and ckn tenders .... Umm no. The cappaucino was good but the server warned me to stay away from the raspberry flavor. The omelette was good but broken on top. The bacon was undercooked. I asked for no potatoes and got them anyway. The bottom line - better alternative to the boring chains, but check your dishes and your food before you dig in! Price - 3 ppl for $40
(2)
Viv J.
I was not impressed with my omelet and the mimosa was not good either. I prefer Yellowfin for brunch. Perhaps, I need to try something else. I have had their catered food too and that was just okay. It was bland and nothing exciting.
(2)
Amanda P.
This is my favorite breakfast spot! The mimosas have fresh squeezed oj and the bloody mary's are rimmed with old bay! I always order them extra spicy, especially when I'm still feeling the effects of the night before. The Banana almond pancakes with pastry cream or the Hungarian mushroom omelet is the way to go! The mushroom omelet has their cream of mushroom soup mixed in - genius! It's great for lunch and dinner too. I go with whatever is on specials. They usually feature a fresh catch, like local rockfish or whatever is in season. This place is special, it feels more like your Aunt's house than a restaurant. Great for special occasions, first dates, or family dinners... or with your other hungover friends on Sunday morning;)
(5)
John F.
The Main Ingredient found their brunch mojo again.
(4)
Jen P.
I love this place....most times in my experience, restaurants in strip malls aren't necessarily the best. Main Ingredient is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to eat in the neighborhood. I have been for lunch, brunch, and dinner. Each time has been great! Lisa, the server, is really sweet too!
(5)
Shane N.
I have been here twice. Some places I just don't want to review without at least two trips. Both times were for breakfast. The first time I went there was on MLK day. It was about 9:00 am and they were really busy. There were several families in there at the time and we had to wait for a table. I am guessing this is not typical for Monday morning, but with so many government employees and the kids not being school there was a full house. Despite being full we only waited about 5 minutes for a table. Our waitress friendly and competent, but overworked. It appeared that there were only two waitresses for the entire packed restaurant. I am sure it was busier than most weekday mornings at this time, but this wasn't the first MLK day. They should have known better. The first time I had the "fabulous french toast" and a side of bacon. I am somewhat disappointed that bacon does not come with every breakfast order automatically. Nevertheless, it was very good french toast and the bacon was cooked very well. The french toast was nice thick cut bread. It was dipped in an egg batter. You could taste the cinnamon. It was topped with a sauteed banana. It was pretty sweet and didn't require much syrup. The bacon was not cooked perfectly (I have only had that once from room service at the Four Seasons in Philly), but it was cooked better than you get at your average cafe or diner. The second time I stopped by I decided to go for some pancakes (also with a side of bacon). For some reason I wend with the "peaches and cream" pancakes which come topped with stewed peaches and pastry cream. I am not a big fan of peaches, but it sounded interesting so I went for it. The pancakes, like the french toast, were also very good. They are very thin. Almost crepe like around the edges, but a little thicker toward the middle. Definitely not your traditional buttermilk pancakes. The topping was pretty good and made it sweet enough so that syrup was not needed. When I go back I will probably skip the stewed peaches. They have an option to essentially build your own pancake with various fruit and cream toppings. I will probably put something together like that next time. The pancakes come in two sizes: short stack and tall stack. I got the short stack which was two pancakes. The pancakes, however, are pretty big. Probably about 10 inches or so in diameter. The short stack was more than enough for me and I am a fat guy. The bacon was cooked very well again. The service has been pretty good both times, despite the lack of waitresses the first time I was there. The atmosphere is okay. Nothing really special or interesting.
(4)
Heidi C.
I've been here twice for brunch, and it's always packed. Make sure to make a reservation on weekends or be prepared to wait wait wait... My husband always orders the hungarian mushroom scramble and I usually get one of their fabulous french toasts with fruit, whipped cream, etc. Fun and yummy.
(4)
Janet K.
Ok, this time I am going to downgrade my rating. Perhaps I am just honked off but the disappointing times at MI are now outnumbering the good ones. Take this morning for example: The place was pretty much empty--only one other table seated. My pancake arrived cold--the pat of butter I put on top just sat there like a sad unmelting lump and trying to spread it just ripped the thing up--very unappetizing and annoying. Then the so-called scambled eggs--oh my--has anyone taught the cook what scrambled means??? The outcome should consist of lovely, fluffy, soft round curds of a well mixed beaten real egg, not flat, hard strands of yellow stuff from a carton spread on a griddle and cooked to tasteless death. Now I know that real scrambled eggs are becoming as rare in this country as hen's teeth, but one can still think wistfully to the not too long ago past when food was natural and done well-- even in dives... I guess I'll stick to making my own... I know finding consistent quality restaurant employees in Annapolis is not easy and I feel bad for the owners. I'm sure as soon as someone is getting the hang of things, they are gone. And to give MI some kudos, they have kept a number of good people, including some decent cooking staff. But when the A team is off, whoo boy, watch out...
(2)
Kathryn L.
Just Stopped in to grab a coffee and soup after being at the park. Mushroom soup was really good and coffee is good. Would like to go in and spend time actually inside sometime.
(3)
Mimi W.
We wanted to find a good breakfast spot, and were initially going to go to the National Harbor, but opted to drive a little further and hit Annapolis instead. Of course, I went to Yelp first, to find reviews, and Main Ingredient seemed like a great choice. Everyone was friendly when we walked in. We got a window seat, which was nice. We had egg white omelettes, which were pretty good. A little too much meat for my taste, but that's really nothing to complain about. I probably should've gotten the french toast, because it sounded delicious, but we were going to hit the mall afterwards, and I didn't need any "issues". The omelettes came with home fries which were not good, and toast. The toast was barely toasted, but still fine. Overall the service was great and the food was decent. What I really liked was that they used real eggs for their omelettes, and not that artificial stuff. If I'm in the area, I will definitely go back and try something else.
(3)
Jeffery W.
This is a great place to visit for breakfast. The food was excellent, prices reasonable, and the service was top-notch.
(4)
Kate M.
The pumpkin muffins are so ridiculously good here! Their breakfast/ brunch is some of the best in town. The coffee is strong and the service attentive. You may have to wait for a table when you get there on a weekend for brunch but the line moves quickly and is well worth the wait. Try the margarita eggs :)
(5)
Geoff E.
If you go here for a casual breakfast, lunch or dinner, you won't be dissapointed. Classic American cuisine, almost like an upscale diner. Real food, cooked properly in good portions and fairly priced. The menu offers a lot of choice for picky eaters. Great breakfast (excellent pancakes, good filling choices for omelets like goat cheese and fresh spinach). Lines can form on Saturday and Sunday morning, but most other times you're safe. Some of the desserts look better than they taste, but the carrot cake is terriffic. It's unassuming in the strip mall and not the interior design isn't flattering, but the food speaks for itself. I recommmend going if you're in the area and looking for good food off the beaten path. Not a tourist trap.
(4)
Blake S.
My girlfriend and I stopped in for a weekend breakfast. We had high hopes for the meal given the yelp recommendations, but it was a sore disappointment. To add insult to injury, I found myself with a mouthful of vodka and tabasco sauce (aka their Sunday bloody mary special) with no water in which to wash it away as the wait staff was noticeably absent.
(1)
Jessica D.
The food and service are good however it's not as amazing as everyone thinks it is. Recently I was there for breakfast and was served a frozen home fry. Food is good. Just don't expect 5-star dining the way some people build it up.
(3)
Patrick H.
I'm giving them a one star upgrade only because the Chocolate Chocolate Cupcake I took home with me after breakfast this Saturday was a near euphoric moment in chocolatey cupcakey gluttonous over indulgence.
(4)
Dale W.
My birthday was this past weekend and my wife was kind enough to buy a piece of red velvet cake and a piece of key lime pie. First, the red velvet cake was a little dry, as if made the day or two before. The cake was nothing exciting and I have had much better. The key lime was more of a disappointment. The pie had just a slight taste of lime, not enough to be called key lime. The pie also had too much of a graham cracker crust. What I thought was tacky, however, we're the two little candy limes placed on the piece of pie. If you are going to serve key lime, have the guts to put a slice of real lime, or nothing at all. I have had worse pie but this was far from the best. I am not sure what all the talk about this place is, but we won't be back. The bakery at Giant is better in my opinion. The worst part is that the staff was very standoffish as if they didn't care to be there. If I baked average to less than average pastries, I guess I would not want to work there either.
(1)
Ben H.
One of my favorite places to eat breakfast in Annapolis. The lunch and dinner is good, but a little pricey for the setting. Great desserts.
(3)
eurochic a.
perhaps lunch and dinner at the main ingredient far surpass breakfast. i hope they do, because breakfast is a lost cause... well, at least the breakfast i experienced. my order: -espresso - it came lukewarm, without an espresso/demitasse spoon. it was very bitter and had coffee grounds in the bottom. after adding milk and sugar i had lots of fun trying to make sure the espresso didn't spill as i stirred it. -eggs side with scrambled eggs + hash browns + buttermilk biscuit - the eggs did not look real, more like how powdered eggs cook up. they were tasteless. hash browns were nothing special. and the biscuit... it would have made a nice pet rock. -pancakes - only edible with syrup. my friend got one of the breakfasts that come with toast. her toast was black. beyond burned. how anyone could put that on a plate or the server could bring it to the table is beyond me. my friend, who is very easygoing and didn't want to complain, made the comment: if i knew my toast was going to come well done, i would have requested medium rare. my friend also ordered the french toast that comes with bananas. i had a bite. i didn't taste cinnamon or anything remotely appetizing. this place was a complete disappointment. breakfast from mcdonald's would have tasted better and cost less. as for the service, it got better as our meal went on. early on, the server looked annoyed when i asked for milk for the espresso, but at the end she took the time to explain EVERY cake in the dessert case to my sister.
(2)
Michael C.
Very easy to give Main Ingredient 5 stars. Food and service are terrific. Hungarian mushroom omelet was great. Eggs Benedict (any of the variations) will not disappoint. Chef Brett is a star!
(5)
Anna M.
I love coming in here for lunch or a light dinner, soups are amazing! Great sandwiches too, and very friendly waitresses.
(4)
Dawn C.
I have had some really bad experiences with this company. The food is okay, but I think it is a bit overpriced and overrated. The service is always pretty bad there when I have been. I generally go for breakfast. I actually used this company to cater my wedding a few years ago and I called them about something else recently and they were really nasty to me. My family spent thousands of dollars for them to cater my wedding and they were out and out rude and disrespectful to me. I will never go back to this restaurant or utilize their catering services again. I have never been treated so poorly in my life. In addition to the fact, that I did not have a good experience with them when they catered my wedding. The food was cold and they were not thorough at all. I ended up leaving with a thousand desserts because they didn't announce that there was coffee and desserts in an adjoining room. My husband and I were livid about it. They also promptly took our money, but they never even followed up with us to see how the reception had gone. I was shocked and dismayed.
(1)
Bruce P.
What's not to like?: Locally owned, good food, well priced, good desserts, reasonably priced wine list, good looking, attentive staff, near the Back Creek marinas. OK, it's in a shopping strip -- big deal. Also, they cater good stuff. Enjoy
(4)
Jim O.
Excellent food and service. I'm out of town for work and stopped in for a lunch. Waitress was nice and service was great. I got a salmon salad with quinoa. Very awesome and the lemon dressing was the perfect choice.
(5)
Erica C.
This is one of my favorite places to go! I used to live right down the street and would visit weekly! Excellent wine selection, interesting and eclectic menu options, and so many choices for dessert! The service is friendly and professional! The brunch is amazing! I recommend it to everyone who comes to Annapolis!
(5)
Caitlin C.
We stopped here for a small lunch on the way home from visiting my boytoy's mama in Eastport. We were headed out to Parts & Labor later that evening, and were hungry but didn't want to spoil our appetite. We decided to split a wrap from here since the menu looked like it had a lot of healthy, light options. We had the "mexi wrap," which had grilled chicken, avocado, cheddar jack cheese, fresh pico de gallo, romaine lettuce and lime cilantro sauce in a chipotle tortilla. It came with a big portion of homemade kettle chips and was perfect for two. The rest of the menu looked delicious (and the dessert case... oh my gahhh), the cafe was adorable, the service was friendly, and the coffee was great. We'll definately be back when we're in that part of town!
(4)
Joanna B.
This place is my all time favorite for breakfast. I have lived in Annapolis all my life and love coming here for breakfast. They will prepare an omelette anyway you like and the hashbrowns are the best in town. If you are going on a Saturday or Sunday, I suggest you go early because otherwise you will have to wait. It's a hot spot in Annapolis. One of my favorite reasons I enjoy coming to this place is the service. The waitresses are wonderful and service is quick!! Definitely a place you must try.
(5)
Tyler S.
Friendly, quick service. Popular local place with a variety of breakfast and lunch options. We enjoyed the shrimp and grits benedict. Poached eggs were delicious, but we would have like them a tiny bit runnier. They sat on a sort-of fried grits cake; unique and tasty way to prepare them. Little bay shrimp were poured over it all. The hash browns side was little cubes of fried potato; cooked perfectly and seasoned well. We added a pancake and a side of strawberries and bananas, too. Iced tea was brewed fresh and plentiful. A little pricey, but probably worth it every now and then.
(4)
Danny S.
After reading the reviews for Main Ingredient Cafe and checking out their web page, my family decided to make reservations there for dinner honoring my son's 18th birthday, which coincided with Plebe Parent Weekend. I called MIC to verify they could handle a large party, and was told they could. However, the part of the name, "Cafe" should have clued me in to otherwise. I had reservations at another restaurant nearby that we cancelled because MIC had a better variety of food. Our initial reservation was for 13 people. A day before the date we had to increase it to 19. When I spoke with whomever answered the phone they assured me they could handle a party of 19. When we arrived there were several small cafe style tables strung together with seating for 14. Like I previously stated I should have paid attention to the name. They set up a nearby booth for the additional 5 people in our party, however they were well removed from our party where we could not converse or interact with them. This was unacceptable since we were celebrating my son's accomplishment and 18th birthday. I spoke with the on duty manager, who was very nice, but she explained due to their size they couldn't seat us all together. I wish the person I had spoken with had told me about the splitting up of our party because we would have kept our other reservation. Sorry about the pun but MIC bit off more than they could chew. Now had the food been amazing, I would have given them another star, but alas it was not. The food was very average. I had the meatloaf and it was bland and lacked flavor. Family members had the seared tuna salad, good but not enough tuna, pork chop special was ok, lasagna was a runny mess, the Annapolitan was good and the salad with chicken looked very good. As in my previous posts I will give MIC another shot, under normal circumstances (regular sized party), and try the salmon or crab cakes. I will say their portions are large and you could share. If their selections are better I will add stars. But on this visit I was not impressed, and sorely disappointed.
(2)
Jessica C.
This morning I went here for brunch with my fiance and his parents. We'd been here before but only for dinner, which was also great. And I am pleased to say that I think I just had the best egg white omelette of my life! I ordered the acapulco omelette, which comes with green chilies, pico de gallo and cheddar cheese. It also comes with a side of sour cream, which I didn't get, and chorizo, which I swapped for turkey sausage. It's a simple enough order, but a lot of places really miss the mark with things like this, especially when opting for egg whites only. Here the omelette had just the right amount of cheese (it wasn't oozing out in really gluttonous amounts) and there were a TON of veggies. I've never had an omelette with so many veggies, and the pico de gallo was so, so fresh. It also came with a side of hash browns, which were like cubes of potato seasoned with paprika. For the first time in a long time I actually ate everything on my plate. The only bummer? It's still Passover. What does that mean? Snickerdoodle french toast, I'm comin for you!
(5)
Harrison B.
Excellent place for breakfast. Lunch and dinner is solid too. Kind of a snobby overpriced diner but with quality well prepared food. Would have given it 3.5 stars if I could but gave it 4 to help bring up the average.
(4)
Kal B.
We ate breakfast here this morning for the first time when our usual breakfast spot was full to overflowing. They were busy with a lot of regulars meeting up. The service was ok but the waitress didn't necessarily love what she was doing and it showed. I asked what the frittata of the day was and she forgot to check and didn't get back to me right away. She didn't ever ask if I needed more hot water or tea (they use Capital Teas which are excellent). I asked for hot sauce and I was nearly finished with my meal before she remembered to bring it. My husband had the Captain Crunch French toast and I had the frittata of the day which was perfectly seasoned and tasty. The hash browns were meh. The food was excellent and presentation lovely. I'm sure we'll be back.
(3)
Vanessa K.
My experience at The Main Ingredient was fantastic! My water glass was always full, the good arrived in a timely fashion and I would've had a dessert if I hadn't been so full! I ordered the burger and sweet potato fries, it was one of the most delicious burgers I've had (and I've had a lot). I look forward to trying out more of the menu on future visits!
(5)
Lauren A.
I can't wait to come back here! I'm always on the lookout for great breakfast locations in my area, and this one seemed to be close to, if not on, the top of everyone's list. I tried it out, and now I can see why! I ordered some AMAZING french toast.The portions were huge, I couldn't finish all mine. The side selection was wide, and the ability to customize is there and welcomed. The staff was great; I was seated quickly and my server's performance was fantastic. My companion got an omelet that he was more than happy with, as he considers himself picky when it comes to them, which was a pleasant surprise because he customized it pretty heavily. From an outside perspective, the place seems small (located in a shopping strip). The inside, though, is charming and simple. I can't speak for lunch and dinner, but if you're looking for breakfast, I fully recommend Main Ingredient.
(5)
Keith C.
We have gotten into a habit of going here before every Bayhawks game and the food is always top notch. The only time it wasn't amazing was on Sunday when there is a very limited menu. The green tomatoes with crab topping are excellent, the crab cakes on brioche is excellent as well. The peach cake was moist and delicious as usual.
(5)
William G.
Had a truly wonderful experience here on the night of 2/12/15 We had the hummus to start with which was delectable and then both had the MI Burger, which had an awesome onion jam to complete the burger. Burger was done perfect, jam completed it and the service was impeccable. I am looking forward to dining at this local establishment again....love dining local better than fast food and chain restaurants!
(5)
Maggy S.
Ok for brunch, WAAAY overpriced reheated frozen food for dinner. I keep wanting to like this place, but dinner is fresh and more delicious at the Smokehouse. I just noticed there's a line on the MI Yelp post that says "similar to The Iron Rooster" in downtown Annapolis. The MI is unworthy to be mentioned in the same sentence as the Rooster. Harsh but true. Bottom line: Don't bother with the Main Ingredient if you have any other options.
(2)
M. M.
Tried to eat here was not able. We were 3 and the waiter refused to sit us on a table for 4, because the designation of the table was four or more. There was plenty of space. Not client friendly
(1)
Karen S.
It's a no-fuss place that's got good food, fast service, and lots of little touches that really make you feel like they care about you as a customer. There were only a couple of other parties when we came around 7 on a Sunday night. We were seated and given bread quickly (yay!). Though the bread was a little tough to cut, since it had a pretty hard crust, I appreciated that they had soft, kind of sweet butter. I hate cold butter that's impossible to spread. All of our entrees came out quickly. We ordered a premium burger ($10) and a bacon bleu burger ($12). You get a choice of several different sides, including fries, salad and pasta salad, which is nice. The bacon on the bleu burger was thick and crispy and went really well with it. We also got the Thai chicken quesadilla ($11), which sounds weird but was delicious. The tuna kurosawa ($23) was cooked perfectly. I got the soft shell crab special ($24), which had two pan-fried soft shell crabs, two polenta cakes and mixed vegetables. The crabs were super yummy and topped with a delicious red pepper sauce. The tuna and crabs came with a choice of garden or caesar salad. They have an extensive dessert selection and I saw several people come in just to get some dessert to go. I got a carrot cake to go because I was so full but haven't tried it yet. In their women's bathroom, they have a small table with free pads, tampons and mouthwash, which is awesome. Super thoughtful! Overall, I like that the focus is on the food and the quality of the ingredients--appropriate, given the name. I've been in too many places where the focus is on mood lighting and fancy but uncomfortable furniture, which can definitely distract from the food (although maybe that's the point). Here, service was fast and friendly, not overbearing, and the light touch and great food left me wanting to come back and try more.
(5)
Ken M.
Loved it. I had just come from seeing a doctor nearby and it was just a little bit past lunch time (about 1:00). I knew I was rolling the dice on how crowded it might be but I was hungry. Lucky for me, it wasn't that crowded. I was able to get a table for one right away. The menu is pretty varied and even though it's a tad on the expensive side, it's really not that bad for what you get. I ordered the meatloaf with Hungarian mushroom with the side salad. I like the fact that they offer a side salad as a substitute for french fires and other high fat, high carb sides. The meatloaf was delicious. I actually consider myself a little bit of an aficionado of meatloaf. I order it wherever I go if it's on the menu. This stuff was heavenly. I ordered lemonade as a drink and, amazingly, it was real lemonade. Not some overly sugared soda masquerading as lemonade. It has a nice tart taste with a hint of sweetness. I've never had anything like it anywhere else. The waitress was super nice, quick and attentive. I had forgotten what a great place this is to eat. Not super fancy. Just really good food at really decent prices.
(4)
Emily V.
This is a pretty good spot for brunch. I would give it 4 stars for brunch. I've also eaten their catering at a wedding where I would give it closer to 5 stars. For brunch, I got the salmon benedict. It was unlike any salmon benedict I had - the salmon was cooked in a filet almost - more typical of what you would get at dinner than the thinly sliced smoked salmon that you usually get on a breakfast benedict. It was definitely different which I give them credit for but I like the sliced salmon better. It was ok flavored, kinda bland. Everyone else at the table enjoyed their meal. For my friend's wedding we got a variety of food to select from, and though I don't remember any of it explicitly I do think that it was better than usual wedding food. The cake which was also from them was one of the best wedding cakes I've ever had. The ambience here is cute and the service, though harried, is friendly. Would probably go back but not before checking out a few other places.
(4)
Misti D.
I wish I could give this more stars. Some of their food, like the provencial veggie pie, an empenada filled with delicious veggies, goat cheese, is out of this world. But then, you'll get an entree that is just OK. Their french onion soup was so disappointing. Came to the table with just croutons, no hot, bubbly cheese. Once I dug in I found 2 slices of cheese they put on the bottom, I guess hoping the hot liquid would melt it??? Plus it neede salt to tast. Just shows the hit or miss.
Always a tasty meal to be had at MI. Their sesame chicken wrap is layered to give you a bite of chicken and the veggies every time.
(4)
F R.
The Main Ingredient Cafe is really good food and service. I've been for brunch and dinner, and have had catering from them as well. A wide range of options for picky eaters, too. Breakfast Favorites are the chesapeake stack, the crab omelet, and the donut muffin! Dinner Favorites are the salmon and crab cakes. Minus one star because sometimes the food is inconsistent. During busier times, it can sometimes taste like things were rushed to be cooked. But we avoid this problem by just going before the crowds!
(4)
Steve C.
Excellent food and very nice atmosphere. Lots of veggie options as well. A great option for healthy food in the Bay Ridge area.
(5)
Lin M.
This local breakfast spot in Annapolis is touted as farm fresh ingredients. The wait on a Sunday morning is expected. The portions on the breakfast are large. The specialty seems to be "Eggs Benedict" I ordered the Southern version which touted a cream gravy and biscuit. Unfortunately I assumed the gravy would replace the Hollandaise (s\which I don't like.) No..they poured it on the hash browns. Blah! Just not my flavor palate but the quality was goof.
(3)
Emily L.
Some friends in Annapolis suggested meeting for dinner here, and we were grateful -- probably never would have otherwise entered this unassuming cafe in a strip mall. Very glad we came, though! It was a blustery, yucky evening, so when my friend ordered the Tuaca Tea, we all followed suit. Our server returned apologetically a few minutes later to say they were out of Tuaca. My friend's husband suggested B&B instead, which I have to say might have been even better! The tea itself was delicious, spiced and fruity and hot, but the hit of brandy warmed me all the way through. When our server asked the usual "Any questions?" I asked what made their Famous Hungarian Mushroom Soup famous. "Oh," she said, "You MUST order that." So I did. Silky, creamy broth studded with sliced mushrooms and fresh dill: it disappeared quickly with bites of their fresh, steaming bread. We all shared. A few people also had side salads, which looked plentiful and fresh. I ordered an entree salad with vegetables, a crab cake and lime-cilantro dressing. It was excellent: the crab cake was a nice twist on the Maryland standard, a little lighter with some south-of-the-border flair. I loved it, but I have to say, even more memorable was the bite of my friend's chicken au poivre entree. Oh, my: peppercorn-encrusted chicken breast topped with mushroom sauce, gorgonzola and caramelized onions? It sounds like too much, but the proportions were just right, and the tender chicken and sauteed vegetables. kept it from being too heavy of a dish. The menu was incredibly varied, offering everything from pasta and sandwiches to Thai and Indian curries, steak and seafood. Based on what I saw and tasted, I think they probably do everything well! I can't wait to go back. And this time, I'll make sure to save room for one of their famous desserts.
(4)
Aaron K.
Stood and waited for five minutes at the cake case for someone to help me out and no one would even acknowledge my presence. Deserts looked good from behind the glass. They weren't even busy. Oh well. Never again.
(1)
Jane W.
There are three reasons I love to go to The Main Ingredient Cafe: 1) The food is amazing and I have tried many selections from the menu, including my all-time favorites--the Snickerdoodle French Toast for breakfast, the Craisin Chicken Salad for lunch, and for dinner the famous Hungarian Mushroom Soup (for which my sister would fly from California) and any of the Short Plates; 2) the staff is always friendly, courteous and helpful; and 3) the wine selection is interesting and unusual. The Cafe has a warm and friendly atmosphere, obviously well-liked by its many neighborhood regulars, and I have always had an enjoyable and delicious experience there--and I didn't even mention the fabulous desserts!
(4)
R S.
Excellent! I had the Greek Godess (i know,right?!) It was a welcome breakfast in a pleasant atmosphere. Try it for breakfast! Go soon!
(4)
Dirk J.
Another visit and I'd say it was better than the first. I ordered one of the eggs benidict dishes and it was fine, could have used more hollandaise, the tomatoes more finely chopped, and I think they need to rethink their home fries. The fries are tasty, but it's like having french fries with your breakfast. Maybe a little more home and less fry. The coffee was good. If there was a 3 plus rating is give that.
(3)
Jessie C.
I don't live in Annapolis, but every time I am in town visiting family I have to go to The Main Ingredient. I have never had a bad meal there and I know no matter what I order it will be delicious! For lunch one of my favorites is the Chicken Bruschetta Caesar Salad. I have a hard time deciding between it and the Cafe Salad with the yummy gorgonzola and candied pecans. For dinner my favorite hands down is the Tuna Kurosawa...Rare tuna with sesame seeds and snow peas and mashed potatoes. My husband gets the crabcakes. Always. Breakfast is not my favorite meal of the day, (I usually skip it) but the omelettes are great and their breakfast potatoes are crispy and flavorful. Another favorite is the Chesapeake Stack with crispy fried cheddar polenta. YUM! You can also get different flavor syrups in your coffee. Main Ingredient also has a HUGE dessert case full of fresh baked cakes. I am usually too full but my grandma always has room for dessert. I will be up in Annapolis in a few weeks and am really looking forward to eating there again.
(5)
Jessica D.
Just got finished with a delicious breakfast. This was our first visit to this neighborhood restaurant. Having a long Saturday night we needed a cure. We sat at the bar and got fast attentive service. Their Sunday special includes $4 mimosas and bloody Mary's. The mimosa I had was awesome. The Bloody Mary had old bay on the rim, my husband didn't care for that, so he followed with a screwdriver, which he definitely enjoyed. The menu was creative and everything looked good. We went for the Chesapeake stack and the breakfast sandwich. Although my eggs were wrong, both were very good. The hash browns were awesome! We will be back. The reason they got 4 stars is because they gave us great service. However when we went to grab a drink at the bar, we got taken off the ten minute wait list. Then I ordered scrambled hard eggs and I got a fried egg. It was still delicious tho!
(4)
Christina S.
As a vegetarian, I get so excited when I open a menu & right away see vegetarian choices. I almost ordered the veggie burger but it is in fact a frozen Morningstar patty so I halted & got the veggie empanada with house salad. Absolutely delicious! My meat-eating boyfriend had the chili which is also vegetarian & I couldn't contain myself, I gobbled about half. Delightful ambience, prompt, friendly service & healthy, yummy, fair priced food. They cater as well
(5)
Angeline F.
My husband and I have eaten here a few times and really enjoy it. Although their sangria recipe changes with the season, it is always delicious!! It's a very nice restaurant for a casual dinner with friends and family. We have never been disappointed with our meals. Since you get a pretty decent sized meal for your money, I suggest you take dessert home. I absolutely love their cakes. Although the slices are big enough to share, my husband and I are always sad when it's gone and fight over the last bite (LoL).
(4)
Mark A.
This place had some interesting menu choices. Something you wouldn't expect from the look of it from outside. Our dinner was good. We had the trout lyon which was tasty, but could have been cooked a minute or two less. It was good, but I think I would try something different next time since they have so many interesting sounding items on the menu. Our kids each ordered a different cake for desert and all of them were excellent.
(4)
J. D.
Food was incredible. We were a party of four--ordered two appetizers and four entrees. Honestly, everything on the table was fantastic. And yet, it's not the good food that's prompting this review, but the bad service. I'm typically not a complainer. I'm in the hospitality business and I understand that everyone has an off night, but I feel like I spent an eternity tonight just waiting....waiting for wine... the correct bottle--our server brought the wrong bottle twice, gave us a wine different than the one we ordered, then gave us the wine we initially ordered for our second bottle. What? And he blamed all of this on his manager who "just handed him the bottle which he opened and poured without looking at"?! Poor form. Then, despite the fact that our waiter was constantly at our table or buzzing around, he didn't feel compelled to refill waters, clear dirty plates, take our menus, or even take an order. It took him over half an hour to take our order. At the end, it took him 25 minutes to bring a check. It wasn't as if this restaurant was busy--this guy just evidently wrote us off or forgot about us. I don't want to feel like I'm walking into a restaurant and inconveniencing anyone by my presence and patronage; if I'm dining in your restaurant, do not make me sorry to be there. This guy just made me feel as if I had to preface every minor request with an apology...so eventually I just stopped asking for anything. For Christ's sake, someone at my table asked for parmesan cheese, and by the server's response, you would have though she slapped the guy. The server was ridiculously pompous considering two factors: the level of service he gave, and the atmosphere of this cozy little strip-mall joint. The other servers who brought our food were not any more helpful; they just dumped the food on a messy table and bailed--not even asking who got what. Seriously, they dumped and ran. I won't be back. The food is good, but there's better food to be had in Annapolis in places where the staff understand hospitality.
(2)
LaToya E.
A friend suggested this place as the gathering place for a small group of friends and their babies to get together for breakfast and chit chat and I am not complaining.. The food was pretty good, I got one of the omelets on the menu and it was pretty tasty. Normally I would give a place like this four stars or above but i had to deduct stars for the service. We had two very small children (under 9 months each) at our table and the wait staff continually put hot dishes down directly in front of them. One person in our group asked that her coffee be put in a to go cup as it would be difficult to drink and hold the baby and the waitress (outwardly annoyed) brought her a cup to do it herself! It's not like the babies were fussy and annoying other patrons, the wait staff just seemed to not know how to not put a child in danger! Overall I would probably return as everyone at the table was happy with their food, but I don't suggest this as a place to go with a family!
(3)
Camille A.
I came here cause Miss Shirleys was crowded. Not a surprise. I loved this place. They took me last minute and accommodated me and my friend. I got the veggie omelet and a mimosas that one drink had me feeling nice My one complaint is the bathroom can only fit one person. But what was neat is they have stuff for women when its that time of the month. I loved that part. I would really go again and there is a Rita's across the street in case you want your custard fix
(4)
Alexus V.
The food is amazing and I have had some amazing meals here! We love to come for brunch, I have ordered birthday cakes from here and have also gotten lunch to go. All around delicious. Unfortunately, when we eat in, we almost always seem to get a server who isn't personable or friendly. They almost act annoyed at any request and don't seem to care how you are doing or how your meal was. The service is adequate, but that is all most of the time. Otherwise, the food is phenomenal which is what keeps us coming back. Their burgers are outstanding, the salads are all unique and so flavorful! And they add a sweet little touch to their salads with a small pumpkin muffin. The brunch is absolutely all around great, probably due to the fact that they are a bakery and have some of the best croissants and other pastry items around. I would say they're worth a try for any meal of the day!
(4)
W W.
Had dinner here. It was pretty good. The steak was very juicy and soft. The wine was meh... so-so.
(4)
Steve Y.
Great place to eat but they have no idea how to seat people. We were told "25 minutes" for a wait time, as were the 5 parties before us who were already waiting for 30-45 minutes and the 3 parties who came after us. One of the 3 parties was a lady who told me she called to put her name in 15 mins ago but was told "25 minutes" upon checking in at the stand. All the while we waited, we watched the hostess stare at/ignore the 5 empty tables in both rooms. She also kept looking for "Robinson party of 2" even though there was no such party responding. Luckily there was an opening at the counter for us to sit at or we would still be waiting alongside the 8 parties I've already mentioned.
(3)
Meghan C.
Food = 4, probably even a 5 - very, very good although a few bucks more than it probably should be. Service sucked though! Wine glass sat empty the entire time, took forever for us to get our check. The fish tacos at lunch were amazing and the side Caesar was excellent - my mom got the bruschetta chicken Caesar and she was very happy with it. But yeah, the service sucks!!
(3)
Raquel M.
I'm writing from a celiac point of view, it says it is gluten free friendly... However, the menu is very vague on your options, and not very helpful. I was disappointed, and they up charge a lot to substitute their toast w fruit.
(3)
Montie Y.
Arrogant, snooty service. Food is great!!!!
(2)
TheVery ..
Mixed feelings about the experience here. We drove here specifically to try the snickerdoodle French toast. It took the serve awhile to show and when she did, she never introduced herself. Our drinks came in a reasonable amount of time... but 30 minutes passed without food. The manager did agree to drop the food from our bill, which helped a bit. And I must say that when it FINALLY arrived, the snickerdoodle French toast we craved was wonderful - great sweet twist on a comfort food staple. I certainly won't ever drive out of my way to go there again, but if I was in the area and my my car broke down outside I would probably give it another shot.
(3)
James E.
Great place! Coffee was delicious, which is the most important start for breakfast for me. The food was great and the staff was courteous and prompt. Definitely a hidden gem that I would recommend. I will be going back to try the dinner options in the near future.
(5)
Joe K.
Every good morning needs to have an equally as good meal to ensure the right start. In Annapolis, with some of the best culinary options in the area, The Main Ingredient Cafe is a great place to stop in. Located right off bay ridge road, the location offers plentiful free parking, and is easily locatable from the road. Once inside the cafe is spacious and offers small, large tables and booths. This place was referred to as the place to go, " when Back Porch Cafe is slammed," or when it's not open as it's seasonal, but is an exceptional alternative place to visit. The breakfast menu offers a wide selection of choices from some specialty options for their brunch menu ( Sunday only), like their crab omelet with asparagus. With options to custom make a omelet of your choice, or try some delicious cinnamon swirled french toast ; I choose the basic breakfast of eggs, bacon, and hash-browns. The orange juice is apparently fresh squeezed, but tasted like Simply Orange. The eggs were great, and though simply scrambled, they weren't over good and seasoned well. My side of bacon had 4 pieces, and the hash-browns were some of the best I have had. Over-all the service is great, friendly, fast and efficient ; the entire meal didn't take to long from start to finish and was a great way to start the day. 4 stars, I recommend a stop in!
(4)
Linda J.
Bland is the best I can say. Waitstaff is SO nonchalant, they might still be asleep from the night before. Not hateful, fairly efficient and I really don't want to be your friend, but so completely uninterested in nice, caring service you have to think they are better than this job. Food was fine, OK, but portions were minimal, taste was serviceable and presentation was uninspired. The whole experience was "phoned in". Who cares? For $28 for two people? I do.
(2)
Meredith W.
Food for lunch was good, amazing black and blue burger (according to my husband), the sweet potato fries were PERFECT and given out in large quantities. The food was a little pricey for what you get (especially at lunch). I will admit I was not a huge fan of the chicken club, maybe I should have read the description better but it was more like a chicken burger then a club (chicken breast on a croissant with bacon, tomato, and lettuce). I was also not a huge fan of the sesame chicken appetizer, it was too dry. I think I like main ingredient for breakfast better, but lunch was still good.
(3)
Nicole S.
Great food. First visit to this wonderful cafe. We came for breakfast (brunch) on Sunday, no wait. Wonderful service, large portions! We will definitely return. Snicker-doodle french toast was absolutely delicious!
(4)
Sab R.
I love this place! I've been here for brunch so many times because the food is so delicious! Really is the best brunch in Annapolis. They also sell cupcakes/cakes/slices of cakes which are really good as well. I gave a 4 star because the customer service is lacking at times... Servers are not the friendliest but i will keep going back because the food is so good!
(4)
Beverly W.
Terrible coffee! Yuck! I guess by serving awful coffee, you don't need to worry about refills! The food was fair. We won't come back anytime soon.
(2)
Camden W.
The Main Ingredient is one of my go to lunch/brunch places in annapolis. A varied menu and efficient service coupled with a large capacity make it an easy way to satisfy a group with many different tastes. I recommend the hummus wrap with chicken and sweet potato fries. Big fan of the Sunday Brunch but be prepared to wait as everyone else is too!
(4)
Sierra S.
This place is awesome. You ought to try the crab and avocado quesadillas. Not a fan of the desserts though.
(4)
Mary O.
Had a lovely experience here for breakfast recently after running a race. Our waitress was very helpful in making our requests for additional items to our meals, and the food came out quickly! Great restroom, very thoughtful in providing some products that would be useful in an emergency!
(4)
Dan R.
The Main Ingredient is a decent little local brunch place that makes some tasty treats. First thing: they serve Ceremony Coffee- which is excellent in all respects. Great choice on that! Food-wise, it's pretty tasty and they have quite a range of interesting brunch choices. Mostly creative spins on your traditional American breakfast fare, the flavors, combinations and quality were all great. Snickerdoodle french toast was excellent, moist, perfectly spiced and compliments the real maple syrup that comes with it. The bacon was thick, crunchy and chewy. The hash browns... a bit different, more like potato nuggets... might have been packaged and tasted like curly fries from Hardy's. The service was friendly and the clientele tended towards the elderly side, but don't let that deter you youngsters. The atmosphere was simple and subtle, kindof diner-ish with basic booths, soft gentile wall colors and a kindof quaint 1980s midwestern plain-ness.
(3)
Jessica K.
I haven't been to the location. This review is based strickly on the fact that they were able to pull off an order for a sugar free baby shower cake. My neighbors and friends decided to throw a small baby shower for me. Knowing that I have developed gestational diabetes they searched high and low to find me a cake that I could actually eat. After calling Peace of Cake in Stevensville (which I'm a huge fan of) and Carolines Bakery in the Cape they stumbled across The Main Ingredient. Can I just say the cake was awesome?! I though it was just b/c I hadn't had sugar in months but my friend had some as well and said she thought it was great also! Kuddo's to you MI...You've earned a new loyal fan!
(4)
Dave S.
Have time. It's slow here. It seems to be a family business and the ladies behind the counter are more interested in gossip than in serving customers. Not impressed. The food is quite good when you do eventually get it. Unfortunately this is not a pleasant experience.
(2)
Katie K.
The service is excellent. The food is delicious. Definitely recommend the Hungarian mushroom soup. Sweet potato fries are perfection! My only gripe was that there was too much dressing on the salads and wraps. Otherwise it was a great lunch!
(4)
T K T.
I had excellent service. Small, clean, and comfortable. Florentine Benedict was delicious. Dessert to my left is screaming my name...looking forward in visiting again and trying everything else. Definitely would recommend to my friends n family.
(4)
Nina U.
What happens when Back Porch Cafe is slammed? Head on over to The Main Ingredient! Nice and clean and simple and renovated- this is a great place for kids, families with larger parties, older grandparents (who were drinking bloody marys. too cool too cool.) or people like me. All of their food seems nice and fresh and delicious. I wish I had room after my potatoes (the best) and the hungarian mushroom scramble which is scrambled eggs with cream of mushroom soup (rich but good!). The pastries and cupcakes in the deli case look scrumptious. Next time.
(4)
Richard W.
Mediocre stand by here in Annapolis - food not outstanding, general very adequate especially for bronchitis or lunch. Has there been a change of ownership? notice lots of new wait staff, several Thai dishes to the menu, and a significant increase in prices!
(2)
Jen L.
I usually go here for brunch. I'm an Eggs Benedict fan and they have 4 varieties of Eggs Benedict!!!! My favorite is is the Eggs Benedict with balsamic vinegar and tomatoes. YUM! The MD Crab Eggs Benedict is also a good choice as well. Brunch is my favorite meal from this place. Because I am breakfast person this place has earned itself an extra star. Well OK, the extra star is also for all of those Capital Deal of the Day Coupons for free Hungarian Mushroom Soup. Free food always helps. Other than breakfast, I'd have to give this place an OK rating. The atmosphere is interesting. It's like an upscale diner. They're actually located off of Forest Drive in a small off to side upscale strip-mall. They have wine and very nice desserts, which is not typical of a diner, but it kind of has a diner-like feel. The dinner menu is OK. I like the Hungarian Mushroom, but it can be a bit too salty for me. I got the 6 oz Filet which was very good (tender and juicy and prepared the way you want it). But I didn't see anything else on the menu that appealed to me. I wasn't very hungry, so maybe that was the problem.
(4)
Shari C.
Banana almond pancakes were awesome!!! Service not so much... Made a reservation over the phone and when we arrived no reservation recorded.
(4)
Kelley S.
This is a review for the Main Ingredient Catering. I recently had a dinner party catered by them, and the food was horrible! I ordered 2 trays of different pasta dishes and by the end of the night barely any of it was eaten. The store bought items some of guests brought were completely devoured, so my guests were definitely hungry. The food was so inedible that all the leftovers were thrown out. The salad was fairly fresh and the bread was a good, but that is about the only good thing I can say. When I have used caterers in the past, most have asked for feedback and/or followed up with a phone call to see how the event was. This place is so arrogant that they didn't even bother to ask. I will not be using them again.
(1)
Phil B.
This is a review for Main Ingredient Catering. They catered my backyard wedding and did a supremely professional job of it. Everyone, from the manager to the cook to the wait staff, was kind and courteous - displaying very high levels of customer service. And the day of the wedding the weather turned dreadful - torrential rains that did nothing to change their attitude and service. On to the food: amazing! The appetizers, entrees and desserts were cooked and prepared perfectly. My friends and family raved. I highly recommend using Main Ingredient for any Catering event you may have.
(5)
John G.
This place has really good service and food. I wish their beer list was as good as their wine list at dinner to allow for more options! Breakfast is also really good. Its hard to pick one thing specific, because I have eaten there three times and it was good each time. When it comes to dessert, we were disappointed to find out they did not have any more Canoli cake, but my wife enjoyed the carrot cake to make up for it!
(4)
Erin W.
Love pretty much everything about this place. Originally, I mostly thought of it as a breakfast place, but it is way more. They have delicious salads, wraps, and specials, not to mention a bakery to die for. They serve cafe pronto coffee, which is delicious! I'm not usually a fan of Caesar dressing, but they have cilantro Caesar dressing that I often crave. It's on the mexi wrap and the mexi salad. If you are a fan if eggs Benedict, this is your breakfast stop, they have several different types and the two I've tried are delicious. Also, I can't go here without getting muffins to go from the bakery! The pumpkin and cranberry orange muffins are easily the best I've had.
(5)
Megan K.
The meal was OK, not great as described by friends who are regulars. They did say the food was off (steaks were not cooked correctly). Excellent service though, very helpful and attentive. I did happen to have their catering service, which was very good.
Went for a brunch with a friend, and for a Sun morning they were pretty empty and the service was slow.... The food was good, we got the hummus appetizer, fish tacos (kinda bland) and a quiche. They are not very family friendly, or welcoming, maybe it was just our server. I brought my 2 yr old, who was surprisingly well behaved and the waitress was borderline rude about us having her there. Didn't offer a booster, bring an extra plate for her or set of silverware. And at the end they bring a huge plate of 8 cake pieces to offer a dessert, and although I understand its a bakery that almost sent my 2 year old over the top when I declined piece
(2)
Geoff G.
The Main Ingredient gets the nod for the "Almost Best" breakfast in Annapolis. No one can touch Ken Upton, owner of the Back Porch, but Main Ingredient is in a close 2nd when it comes to the most important meal of the day. If you live in Annapolis, compromise, and make the Back Porch your go to breakfast joint from April - October and when they close, switch over to the Main Ingredient to hold you over during the winter months. The Main Ingredient makes delicious Benedict (a variety of different ways) and they also have delicious omelets. For lunch, they have a great selection of salads and sandwiches. If you have never been to the Main Ingredient, then what are you waiting for? You won't be disappointed.
(4)
Mark B.
Main Ingredient catered mine and my husbands wedding party this past weekend and I have to say they surpassed our wildest expectations! Not only was the meeting in their catering office friendly and professional but they accommodated our every need. The food and by the way the flowers we ordered from a neighboring florist were delivered on time by Main Ingredient and the nicest young man named Colin. If that wasn't enough the food was a huge success......everyone at our party raved about all of the food. The crab cakes were superb as was the shrimp. The steak and chicken cooked to perfection. Long story short if you need an amazing caterer I strongly suggest Main Ingredient!!!
(5)
Nick C.
We ate here on a Sunday morning and were seated upon arrival- no wait. Good eggs Benedict, kids liked the pancakes, wife did not like the French toast as it was burnt. Waitress was good and personable. Better than IHOP is a direct quote from my wife. I can only comment on breakfast. Kids liked it.
(3)
Teresa k.
What a find! I lunch here weekly with my knit gal friends. Erin, our server is simply THE BEST! She remembers our names, our beverages, and is always smiling. The menu is extensive and everything I've tried has been delicious!
(5)
aloha-ellen m.
I've had two chicken wraps thru their catering service... one was the craisin walnut, the other was the Caribbean jerk. In both cases the wrap was soggy and tore wide open, and the vegetable contents were also soggy and had what i can only compare to an over-cooked texture. Basically, they were both inedible. The thick chips and veggie dip were ok, had a horseradish flavor but needed 'something'. But the fruit kabob and cookies... they were excellent!
(1)
Isa B.
I had a meeting in one of the offices upstairs and wandered in here for some lunch. I was very surprised by the high quality of food I received at a place that is part of a strip mall. I had an amazing crab and lobster salad on a bun. Everything was home made. The only complaint I had was that the salad was served with the dressing on the side. I much prefer my salad already dressed, so the dressing is spread evenly. I would definitely recommend stopping in if you are in the area.
(4)
Jessica P.
So, I am in love with their big cup of chai that is half the size of my head and the great twists to comfort food classics are great They should seriously consider expanding the space or opening a location in edgewater or where the borders closed in Bowie ( I work in Bowie, it would be great to have someplace like this). My only gripe is the location it does not do this place justice with limited parking and being an out of sight treasure tucked into a strip mall and they need a patio or rooftop that would be wonderful!. I go there for lunch on the weekends with my sister when she is back from college this is her #1 request, I have yet to enjoy the breakfast that everyone that has been here raves about!
(4)
Dana K.
This cafe offers good food & quick service. They had no issues with a special order due to son's metabolic disorder and everything was prepared exactly the way we asked. My husband built his own omelette and greatly enjoyed it. I had the breakfast burrito and was initially put off by it's presentation but the taste was great. Looks can be deceiving! The bread they served with breakfast was delicious. We will definitely return if we are in the area again.
(4)
Courtney C.
My first Mother's Day Brunch was a huge success thanks to the Main Ingredient Cafe. I told my husband this is where I wanted to go so, he made a reservation for us and my MIL. It was busy when we arrived, but they seated us right away. I had already scoped out the menu so, I knew what I wanted. Unfortunately, they were out of cinnamon buns. I asked for two fried eggs without hash browns, wheat toast, a side of fruit and one pancake. Our waitress messed up and I ended up with both hash browns and sausage that I didn't want. My husband ordered an omelet without onions and it had onions on it, but it was fixed quickly without fuss. My MIL also ordered an omelet and really enjoyed it. The food was excellent and even on a very busy day our food was fairly prompt. Our waitress was polite and friendly, but messed up several times. She also asked me how much weight I had gained during pregnancy. I'm sorry, but that's a big 'no-no' to a new Mommy. Even if I did lose every ounce in just a week. Its plain rude and you wouldn't ask a new Mom who still had a lot of her pregnancy weight to lose the same question. The bathrooms were clean and we didn't have any problems parking. I would absolutely come back, but probably on a less popular brunch day.
(4)
Juliet G.
"Fabulous French toast " was just that. My friend had "the kitchen sink" and loved that too. The place is clean and has a wonderful menu! Would definitely go back and even try it out for dinner.
(5)
Drew P.
Nothing special but its Annapolis so what do you expect? Food is mediocre so is the service, somethings way overpriced as well. Two breakfast burritos (with flat eggs in them) with pico de gallo and one slice of avocado in each for $10.
(2)
Doug H.
This place is fantastic. My fiance introduced me to The Main Ingredient a few months ago and I had one of the best meals I've ever had at a restaurant. First off, everyone should definitely know beforehand that this isn't the biggest place in the world. If it has more than 25 tables I'd be surprised. That said, a majority of the seating is booth. When you do sit at a table they're mostly well placed and spaced from other tables. To the good part. After entering the restaurant we were greeted and sat rather quickly. Not too long after that our waitress came to our table and took our drink order. So far, so good. We started off by ordering one of our more favorite wines - White Zinfandel. A wine that can bring out the good qualities of a lot of food. After opening and pouring our initial glass of wine for us she took our appetizer and dinner order. For an appetizer we ordered Artichoke and Crab Crostini. While the portions aren't huge we both found them to be perfect for an appetizer. Taste is great and really worked well with the White Zinfandel. For dinner I had Herb Crusted Salmon. My better half had the Lemon Basil Shrimp Scampi. Again, both were just great. Everything tasted really well together and made for a very well round meal. I didn't have anything to bring home with me while my fiance only had some pasta leftover. Service was above average. Our waitress was kind of cold but she was quick to the punch and timed serving our meals perfectly. We recommend The Main Ingredient to everyone. There's no situation where we wouldn't.
(5)
Christine C.
OK, not sure if Patrick is hitting it at bad busy times or what. We went for dinner on a Thursday night and had wonderful food, service and ambiance. We sat in a booth close to the display window... OMG, everything looked so good, huge cakes just like a diner/cafe should have. First we were pleasantly greeted by one of the servers who promptly sat us down at a table of our choice (it was the last booth left). We immediately were given a hot loaf of bread and whipped butter. The butter was the best butter ever... it was whipped with a touch of zest of orange from what I can tell... what a great flavor... It was just awesome. For the first dish I had a Hungarian mushroom cup o' soup, and it was amazing as well, lots of dill and flavor, lots of mushrooms.. just tasty and hot. Neil had a Cesar salad and it was good. I had a Salad for dinner, the Cafe Salad with walnuts, pears, an amazing vinagrette.. and a little pumpkin muffin with raisins.. just delish. Neil had the three sausage special, and it came with the mustard on top and it just looked great, he loved it. We did not have room for dessert but the food was great. We will definitely be going back for more.
(5)
Mike H.
This place is totally overhyped for some reason. The food is okay, the service is okay, the price is okay. Nothing special about any of it. I have only tried it twice because there are just so many better restaurants in naptown. I will give the thumbs up to their desserts though.
(2)
Emi L.
I ordered my sixth cake recently. So very disappointed by the unprofessional person taking the order. She argued with me that it was not possible to order a cake as I did because the frosting could not be decorated. When I told her it was a repeat of an order I received in february, she had to check and although she found it, she continued to argue with me because she had 15 years of experience and it just wasnt possible. I was so upset by her treatment of me that I cancelled my order and will not order cakes from there again. Complete lack of customer service. When I spoke to the manager, all she would do is offer to take my order! Take my order?! I think not.
(1)
P. W.
I try to stop by this restaurant when I'm working in Annapolis (Outside Sales). I've always had a great meal. My wife and I had lunch there last Friday and she enjoyed it just as much as I did. The Nantucket Chicken Salad Wrap (delicious), The Salmon Wrap (delicious), Mushroom soup (delicious) , mini Pumpkin Muffins (delicious) and last but not least their Carrot Cake (Incredible). Service was very good. Janet made our experience even better. Personality A+!
(5)
Dennis B.
Every time we come into town we try to stop by - if not for a great meal, at least for their wonderful pumpkin muffins (although they have become a bit too overpriced at $12+ for a dozen). We especially like their salads and omelets. At times, the line is out the door, but their recent expansion has helped. Plan ahead.
(4)
Katie W.
I really expected to like this place more. It's a good restaurant and I want to support them. I think things could use a little tweaking, though. I went for some breakfast this morning to wrap up a fun weekend with friends. We got there around 9:15 on a Sunday and didn't have to wait. There were several parties waiting by the time we left around 10, though. The coffee was fine - nothing special, but hot and fresh. I was a little disappointed that the hash browns weren't gluten free. In my opinion, the best hash browns are cooked with a little oil, salt, and pepper in a skillet. Perhaps with the option to add onion if you so desire. I see no reason to ruin perfectly delicious and naturally gluten free potato goodness with a silly gluten-filled coating. Even if I could have eaten them, they really didn't look that appealing. Cubed potatoes that could have been from the freezer section. Meh. The omelets were, thank goodness, gluten free. I opted for the one with crab meat. It sounded really good, but fell flat. The crab taste didn't really come through, and it was overall just kind of bland. The corn salsa on top tasted ok, but was a little sad looking. Maybe not as fresh as it could be. Fresher corn and a sprinkling of fresh herbs would have made a huge difference. Or maybe mixing crab, corn and herbs together and putting it on top of a regular omelet would have worked better... I got a side of fruit instead of the toast, and it was good, fresh fruit. They get kudos for that. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten tasteless fruit in the middle of fruit season! Anyway, moving on...I also shared a side of bacon that was cooked very well - crispy but not burned and with a little softness in the right spots. The orange juice that others got looked like good, freshly squeezed juice. I don't think anyone in the group was knocked over by anything they got. I love that they use organic, cage free eggs. At home that's all I buy, and I am so pleased to see that offered in a restaurant, and not as some up-charge option. The place is bright and clean, and our server was attentive and pleasant. So, like I said...this place is good but just not great. I'd go back again maybe one more time. I'm not sure I'd wait for a table, but if the timing was right...
(3)
Evan J.
I could say a ton. This place is simply AMAZING. For lunch and dinner that is. Don't do breakfast here; go to Panera. The staff is courteous and helpful, the atmosphere is cozy. Their pies and tarts are delicious, and the coffee is Caffe Pronto, locally roasted. As far as places to eat go, this might win hands down for me. Best meatloaf I've ever had. Period. Even homecooked. Their curry chicken salad is enormous, but delicious. Get a takeout box for it, though. It's that big. And so you're sure you have room for pie. Key Lime pie. Theirs is awesome, trust me. I don't even LIKE key lime pie. Dangerous Pies in DC or Baltimore is the only comparison. If I had the money, I'd eat at Main Ingredient every week. And they don't rush you out, which is few and far between in this country.
(5)
Liz K.
From the time I found their website and decided to book them for my sister's pre-wedding girls brunch, I really wanted to give Main Ingredient 5 stars. Unfortunately, I cannot. We made reservations for 15 people 3 weeks ahead of time. We were assured the small cafe would have no trouble with a group of this size. Okay, so far so good. Two days before the Friday morning brunch, we called to confirm the reservation and add one more person - 16 people total. Day of, my mom and I arrive 15min early to set out place cards and what not... and we were met with deer-in-headlights looks from the two waitresses. "You have a reservation for 16??" Um, yes, for 3 weeks now, we've had one. Made us wonder who in the world did we talk to on the phone those two times. Geesh! Thank god the place was not busy and the waitresses were able to pull together enough tables so we could all sit together. They were also calm and cool and said they had it under control, and it seemed that they did. The bride arrived just as water was being set at all the places, so she had no idea 10min earlier we had no table! Everyone was seated, orders for coffee and juice placed, and pastries served. The pastries were GREAT! We all ordered food, which took a while to come out, IMO. A number of people ordered breakfast scrambles, which seemed to confuse the kitchen... two of them came out as a mixture of the two orders... and my sister's was COMPLETELY wrong and VERY late to arrive. Like, I was done, and then hers arrived. Not cool. Fortunately she was very calm/cool about the whole thing. I ordered my usual measuring stick - eggs benedict. These were sub-par: my eggs were completely cooked through and the hollandaise had ZERO flavor. I said nothing and ate it anyway - didn't want to spoil the good vibes of the group! As someone else has mentioned here, the breakfast potatoes are more like Orida potato cubes - that could not be more accurate. Not so special and not so good. My mom had the eggs florentine, which was actually pretty good and a somewhat creative take on the traditional. Ugh, Main Ingredient, I really wanted to like you, but I just didn't. You get rave reviews about your lunch, dinner, and catering, so maybe breakfast just isn't your thing. Clearly reservations aren't your thing either.
(2)
Katie R.
Main Ingredient is my to-go place for breakfast! When you go for breakfast, ORDER THE SNICKERDOODLE FRENCH TOAST. It's in all caps because I'm yelling at you to order it! Every single person I've ever introduced it to has loved it! It's a massive portion and is more than enough for two people. My 4 person family could easily order 4 separate orders and knock them all down and happily bring our leftovers home. I've been here for lunch/dinner and it's alright, but 100% my fave for breakfast!
(4)
Anca M.
I have had lunch there on about four occasions and was always pleased with the food and service. They have excellent burgers, yummy salads and very good breakfast. The downside to it, not many options on getting the dressing on the side, the salads are already dressed with the sauce. The price is also a bit high. Good food, but overpriced, I think. 3 1/2 stars, I'd say.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast, Brunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Christina B.
Probably one of the best brunches ever. Definitely try this place.
(4)Victor A.
Definitely a disappointment. Took the family while on a road trip and went in with high hopes based on the reviews here. It's not terrible, but it certainly is nothing to rave about. I ordered the eggs over hash browns "smothered" in cream chipped beef. There were barely two tablespoons of the chipped beef, never mind "smothered," and the potatoes weren't real, they were some frozen cubed fries and Ore-Ida makes better than what I was served. No decent breakfast place can serve frozen fries as hash browns. Waffles and some of the baked goods seemed fine, but nothing spectacular. French toast was very good. Service was slow and indifferent. Sorry, folks, but if you consider this place great, you need to try a few more places. It's average, at best.
(2)Peter S.
How anyone can rate this as anything less than 5 stars is beyond me. The food is fabulous. My wife and I had a week alone so we hit all the local restaurants for appetizers and drinks. Chart House, eh, lousy appetizers ~ $80. Severn Inn, okay, but $110 (drinks and appetizers). Then we went to Main Ingredient. Full Dinner, wine ~ $70 and it was FABULOUS. Granted, the atmosphere is kinda cheesy, but the food is 5 star. My wife had bugged me to go there for a while, and boy was she right. Really, food is WAY better than Chart House, Severn Inn and lots of others. Really fresh, great tastes, etc. It doesn't have a great view and kinda lacks for ambiance, but the food is first class.
(5)Christine S.
I ate the Snickerdoodle french toast like everyone said to do and I would say it is very good, but not the best french toast you've ever tried. It's definitely something you could make at home and just one of those things that you order at a restaurant because it's comfort food. The original eggs benedict was good, but kind of on the heavy side.
(3)Annie T.
I live in DC and eat at The Main Ingredient whenever I visit family in Annapolis (about once a month). This is honestly one of my favorite restaurants (including both DC and Annapolis). The food is consistently excellent, creative, executed perfectly, and the portion size is always generous. Here, the food is the star (trust me, the decor is not much to look at). I have never had a bad, much less a mediocre meal here. Last night our table started with the garides me feta. It was outstanding and the sauce was incredible. I had the Salmon Pisana--also amazing. The artichoke wine sauce was wonderful and the portion was generous. My family members had the fish and chips and seafood puttanesca. Both were excellent. I have also been here for breakfast and the food has been just as good. I realize this is not part of historic annpolis, but what the restaurant lacks in location/decor, it makes up for in food. If you are ever in Annpolis, you must try this restaurant.
(5)Karen M.
Based on the reviews I expected so much more... It pays to check it out on your own. Went for Mothers Day and would say that the food was ok but certainly not great. Also, there were a few grievous things that really should take this review to 0. First there was lipstick on my sister's coffee cup. My pancake was raw in the middle. When we pointed these things out the server didn't apologize but rather made an excuse and then took the items away. No apology... No discount... No good. Many reviews recommended the snicker doodle French toast. It was good but sweet. The ckn and waffles is a waffle and ckn tenders .... Umm no. The cappaucino was good but the server warned me to stay away from the raspberry flavor. The omelette was good but broken on top. The bacon was undercooked. I asked for no potatoes and got them anyway. The bottom line - better alternative to the boring chains, but check your dishes and your food before you dig in! Price - 3 ppl for $40
(2)Viv J.
I was not impressed with my omelet and the mimosa was not good either. I prefer Yellowfin for brunch. Perhaps, I need to try something else. I have had their catered food too and that was just okay. It was bland and nothing exciting.
(2)Amanda P.
This is my favorite breakfast spot! The mimosas have fresh squeezed oj and the bloody mary's are rimmed with old bay! I always order them extra spicy, especially when I'm still feeling the effects of the night before. The Banana almond pancakes with pastry cream or the Hungarian mushroom omelet is the way to go! The mushroom omelet has their cream of mushroom soup mixed in - genius! It's great for lunch and dinner too. I go with whatever is on specials. They usually feature a fresh catch, like local rockfish or whatever is in season. This place is special, it feels more like your Aunt's house than a restaurant. Great for special occasions, first dates, or family dinners... or with your other hungover friends on Sunday morning;)
(5)John F.
The Main Ingredient found their brunch mojo again.
(4)Jen P.
I love this place....most times in my experience, restaurants in strip malls aren't necessarily the best. Main Ingredient is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to eat in the neighborhood. I have been for lunch, brunch, and dinner. Each time has been great! Lisa, the server, is really sweet too!
(5)Shane N.
I have been here twice. Some places I just don't want to review without at least two trips. Both times were for breakfast. The first time I went there was on MLK day. It was about 9:00 am and they were really busy. There were several families in there at the time and we had to wait for a table. I am guessing this is not typical for Monday morning, but with so many government employees and the kids not being school there was a full house. Despite being full we only waited about 5 minutes for a table. Our waitress friendly and competent, but overworked. It appeared that there were only two waitresses for the entire packed restaurant. I am sure it was busier than most weekday mornings at this time, but this wasn't the first MLK day. They should have known better. The first time I had the "fabulous french toast" and a side of bacon. I am somewhat disappointed that bacon does not come with every breakfast order automatically. Nevertheless, it was very good french toast and the bacon was cooked very well. The french toast was nice thick cut bread. It was dipped in an egg batter. You could taste the cinnamon. It was topped with a sauteed banana. It was pretty sweet and didn't require much syrup. The bacon was not cooked perfectly (I have only had that once from room service at the Four Seasons in Philly), but it was cooked better than you get at your average cafe or diner. The second time I stopped by I decided to go for some pancakes (also with a side of bacon). For some reason I wend with the "peaches and cream" pancakes which come topped with stewed peaches and pastry cream. I am not a big fan of peaches, but it sounded interesting so I went for it. The pancakes, like the french toast, were also very good. They are very thin. Almost crepe like around the edges, but a little thicker toward the middle. Definitely not your traditional buttermilk pancakes. The topping was pretty good and made it sweet enough so that syrup was not needed. When I go back I will probably skip the stewed peaches. They have an option to essentially build your own pancake with various fruit and cream toppings. I will probably put something together like that next time. The pancakes come in two sizes: short stack and tall stack. I got the short stack which was two pancakes. The pancakes, however, are pretty big. Probably about 10 inches or so in diameter. The short stack was more than enough for me and I am a fat guy. The bacon was cooked very well again. The service has been pretty good both times, despite the lack of waitresses the first time I was there. The atmosphere is okay. Nothing really special or interesting.
(4)Heidi C.
I've been here twice for brunch, and it's always packed. Make sure to make a reservation on weekends or be prepared to wait wait wait... My husband always orders the hungarian mushroom scramble and I usually get one of their fabulous french toasts with fruit, whipped cream, etc. Fun and yummy.
(4)Janet K.
Ok, this time I am going to downgrade my rating. Perhaps I am just honked off but the disappointing times at MI are now outnumbering the good ones. Take this morning for example: The place was pretty much empty--only one other table seated. My pancake arrived cold--the pat of butter I put on top just sat there like a sad unmelting lump and trying to spread it just ripped the thing up--very unappetizing and annoying. Then the so-called scambled eggs--oh my--has anyone taught the cook what scrambled means??? The outcome should consist of lovely, fluffy, soft round curds of a well mixed beaten real egg, not flat, hard strands of yellow stuff from a carton spread on a griddle and cooked to tasteless death. Now I know that real scrambled eggs are becoming as rare in this country as hen's teeth, but one can still think wistfully to the not too long ago past when food was natural and done well-- even in dives... I guess I'll stick to making my own... I know finding consistent quality restaurant employees in Annapolis is not easy and I feel bad for the owners. I'm sure as soon as someone is getting the hang of things, they are gone. And to give MI some kudos, they have kept a number of good people, including some decent cooking staff. But when the A team is off, whoo boy, watch out...
(2)Kathryn L.
Just Stopped in to grab a coffee and soup after being at the park. Mushroom soup was really good and coffee is good. Would like to go in and spend time actually inside sometime.
(3)Mimi W.
We wanted to find a good breakfast spot, and were initially going to go to the National Harbor, but opted to drive a little further and hit Annapolis instead. Of course, I went to Yelp first, to find reviews, and Main Ingredient seemed like a great choice. Everyone was friendly when we walked in. We got a window seat, which was nice. We had egg white omelettes, which were pretty good. A little too much meat for my taste, but that's really nothing to complain about. I probably should've gotten the french toast, because it sounded delicious, but we were going to hit the mall afterwards, and I didn't need any "issues". The omelettes came with home fries which were not good, and toast. The toast was barely toasted, but still fine. Overall the service was great and the food was decent. What I really liked was that they used real eggs for their omelettes, and not that artificial stuff. If I'm in the area, I will definitely go back and try something else.
(3)Jeffery W.
This is a great place to visit for breakfast. The food was excellent, prices reasonable, and the service was top-notch.
(4)Kate M.
The pumpkin muffins are so ridiculously good here! Their breakfast/ brunch is some of the best in town. The coffee is strong and the service attentive. You may have to wait for a table when you get there on a weekend for brunch but the line moves quickly and is well worth the wait. Try the margarita eggs :)
(5)Geoff E.
If you go here for a casual breakfast, lunch or dinner, you won't be dissapointed. Classic American cuisine, almost like an upscale diner. Real food, cooked properly in good portions and fairly priced. The menu offers a lot of choice for picky eaters. Great breakfast (excellent pancakes, good filling choices for omelets like goat cheese and fresh spinach). Lines can form on Saturday and Sunday morning, but most other times you're safe. Some of the desserts look better than they taste, but the carrot cake is terriffic. It's unassuming in the strip mall and not the interior design isn't flattering, but the food speaks for itself. I recommmend going if you're in the area and looking for good food off the beaten path. Not a tourist trap.
(4)Blake S.
My girlfriend and I stopped in for a weekend breakfast. We had high hopes for the meal given the yelp recommendations, but it was a sore disappointment. To add insult to injury, I found myself with a mouthful of vodka and tabasco sauce (aka their Sunday bloody mary special) with no water in which to wash it away as the wait staff was noticeably absent.
(1)Jessica D.
The food and service are good however it's not as amazing as everyone thinks it is. Recently I was there for breakfast and was served a frozen home fry. Food is good. Just don't expect 5-star dining the way some people build it up.
(3)Patrick H.
I'm giving them a one star upgrade only because the Chocolate Chocolate Cupcake I took home with me after breakfast this Saturday was a near euphoric moment in chocolatey cupcakey gluttonous over indulgence.
(4)Dale W.
My birthday was this past weekend and my wife was kind enough to buy a piece of red velvet cake and a piece of key lime pie. First, the red velvet cake was a little dry, as if made the day or two before. The cake was nothing exciting and I have had much better. The key lime was more of a disappointment. The pie had just a slight taste of lime, not enough to be called key lime. The pie also had too much of a graham cracker crust. What I thought was tacky, however, we're the two little candy limes placed on the piece of pie. If you are going to serve key lime, have the guts to put a slice of real lime, or nothing at all. I have had worse pie but this was far from the best. I am not sure what all the talk about this place is, but we won't be back. The bakery at Giant is better in my opinion. The worst part is that the staff was very standoffish as if they didn't care to be there. If I baked average to less than average pastries, I guess I would not want to work there either.
(1)Ben H.
One of my favorite places to eat breakfast in Annapolis. The lunch and dinner is good, but a little pricey for the setting. Great desserts.
(3)eurochic a.
perhaps lunch and dinner at the main ingredient far surpass breakfast. i hope they do, because breakfast is a lost cause... well, at least the breakfast i experienced. my order: -espresso - it came lukewarm, without an espresso/demitasse spoon. it was very bitter and had coffee grounds in the bottom. after adding milk and sugar i had lots of fun trying to make sure the espresso didn't spill as i stirred it. -eggs side with scrambled eggs + hash browns + buttermilk biscuit - the eggs did not look real, more like how powdered eggs cook up. they were tasteless. hash browns were nothing special. and the biscuit... it would have made a nice pet rock. -pancakes - only edible with syrup. my friend got one of the breakfasts that come with toast. her toast was black. beyond burned. how anyone could put that on a plate or the server could bring it to the table is beyond me. my friend, who is very easygoing and didn't want to complain, made the comment: if i knew my toast was going to come well done, i would have requested medium rare. my friend also ordered the french toast that comes with bananas. i had a bite. i didn't taste cinnamon or anything remotely appetizing. this place was a complete disappointment. breakfast from mcdonald's would have tasted better and cost less. as for the service, it got better as our meal went on. early on, the server looked annoyed when i asked for milk for the espresso, but at the end she took the time to explain EVERY cake in the dessert case to my sister.
(2)Michael C.
Very easy to give Main Ingredient 5 stars. Food and service are terrific. Hungarian mushroom omelet was great. Eggs Benedict (any of the variations) will not disappoint. Chef Brett is a star!
(5)Anna M.
I love coming in here for lunch or a light dinner, soups are amazing! Great sandwiches too, and very friendly waitresses.
(4)Dawn C.
I have had some really bad experiences with this company. The food is okay, but I think it is a bit overpriced and overrated. The service is always pretty bad there when I have been. I generally go for breakfast. I actually used this company to cater my wedding a few years ago and I called them about something else recently and they were really nasty to me. My family spent thousands of dollars for them to cater my wedding and they were out and out rude and disrespectful to me. I will never go back to this restaurant or utilize their catering services again. I have never been treated so poorly in my life. In addition to the fact, that I did not have a good experience with them when they catered my wedding. The food was cold and they were not thorough at all. I ended up leaving with a thousand desserts because they didn't announce that there was coffee and desserts in an adjoining room. My husband and I were livid about it. They also promptly took our money, but they never even followed up with us to see how the reception had gone. I was shocked and dismayed.
(1)Bruce P.
What's not to like?: Locally owned, good food, well priced, good desserts, reasonably priced wine list, good looking, attentive staff, near the Back Creek marinas. OK, it's in a shopping strip -- big deal. Also, they cater good stuff. Enjoy
(4)Jim O.
Excellent food and service. I'm out of town for work and stopped in for a lunch. Waitress was nice and service was great. I got a salmon salad with quinoa. Very awesome and the lemon dressing was the perfect choice.
(5)Erica C.
This is one of my favorite places to go! I used to live right down the street and would visit weekly! Excellent wine selection, interesting and eclectic menu options, and so many choices for dessert! The service is friendly and professional! The brunch is amazing! I recommend it to everyone who comes to Annapolis!
(5)Caitlin C.
We stopped here for a small lunch on the way home from visiting my boytoy's mama in Eastport. We were headed out to Parts & Labor later that evening, and were hungry but didn't want to spoil our appetite. We decided to split a wrap from here since the menu looked like it had a lot of healthy, light options. We had the "mexi wrap," which had grilled chicken, avocado, cheddar jack cheese, fresh pico de gallo, romaine lettuce and lime cilantro sauce in a chipotle tortilla. It came with a big portion of homemade kettle chips and was perfect for two. The rest of the menu looked delicious (and the dessert case... oh my gahhh), the cafe was adorable, the service was friendly, and the coffee was great. We'll definately be back when we're in that part of town!
(4)Joanna B.
This place is my all time favorite for breakfast. I have lived in Annapolis all my life and love coming here for breakfast. They will prepare an omelette anyway you like and the hashbrowns are the best in town. If you are going on a Saturday or Sunday, I suggest you go early because otherwise you will have to wait. It's a hot spot in Annapolis. One of my favorite reasons I enjoy coming to this place is the service. The waitresses are wonderful and service is quick!! Definitely a place you must try.
(5)Tyler S.
Friendly, quick service. Popular local place with a variety of breakfast and lunch options. We enjoyed the shrimp and grits benedict. Poached eggs were delicious, but we would have like them a tiny bit runnier. They sat on a sort-of fried grits cake; unique and tasty way to prepare them. Little bay shrimp were poured over it all. The hash browns side was little cubes of fried potato; cooked perfectly and seasoned well. We added a pancake and a side of strawberries and bananas, too. Iced tea was brewed fresh and plentiful. A little pricey, but probably worth it every now and then.
(4)Danny S.
After reading the reviews for Main Ingredient Cafe and checking out their web page, my family decided to make reservations there for dinner honoring my son's 18th birthday, which coincided with Plebe Parent Weekend. I called MIC to verify they could handle a large party, and was told they could. However, the part of the name, "Cafe" should have clued me in to otherwise. I had reservations at another restaurant nearby that we cancelled because MIC had a better variety of food. Our initial reservation was for 13 people. A day before the date we had to increase it to 19. When I spoke with whomever answered the phone they assured me they could handle a party of 19. When we arrived there were several small cafe style tables strung together with seating for 14. Like I previously stated I should have paid attention to the name. They set up a nearby booth for the additional 5 people in our party, however they were well removed from our party where we could not converse or interact with them. This was unacceptable since we were celebrating my son's accomplishment and 18th birthday. I spoke with the on duty manager, who was very nice, but she explained due to their size they couldn't seat us all together. I wish the person I had spoken with had told me about the splitting up of our party because we would have kept our other reservation. Sorry about the pun but MIC bit off more than they could chew. Now had the food been amazing, I would have given them another star, but alas it was not. The food was very average. I had the meatloaf and it was bland and lacked flavor. Family members had the seared tuna salad, good but not enough tuna, pork chop special was ok, lasagna was a runny mess, the Annapolitan was good and the salad with chicken looked very good. As in my previous posts I will give MIC another shot, under normal circumstances (regular sized party), and try the salmon or crab cakes. I will say their portions are large and you could share. If their selections are better I will add stars. But on this visit I was not impressed, and sorely disappointed.
(2)Jessica C.
This morning I went here for brunch with my fiance and his parents. We'd been here before but only for dinner, which was also great. And I am pleased to say that I think I just had the best egg white omelette of my life! I ordered the acapulco omelette, which comes with green chilies, pico de gallo and cheddar cheese. It also comes with a side of sour cream, which I didn't get, and chorizo, which I swapped for turkey sausage. It's a simple enough order, but a lot of places really miss the mark with things like this, especially when opting for egg whites only. Here the omelette had just the right amount of cheese (it wasn't oozing out in really gluttonous amounts) and there were a TON of veggies. I've never had an omelette with so many veggies, and the pico de gallo was so, so fresh. It also came with a side of hash browns, which were like cubes of potato seasoned with paprika. For the first time in a long time I actually ate everything on my plate. The only bummer? It's still Passover. What does that mean? Snickerdoodle french toast, I'm comin for you!
(5)Harrison B.
Excellent place for breakfast. Lunch and dinner is solid too. Kind of a snobby overpriced diner but with quality well prepared food. Would have given it 3.5 stars if I could but gave it 4 to help bring up the average.
(4)Kal B.
We ate breakfast here this morning for the first time when our usual breakfast spot was full to overflowing. They were busy with a lot of regulars meeting up. The service was ok but the waitress didn't necessarily love what she was doing and it showed. I asked what the frittata of the day was and she forgot to check and didn't get back to me right away. She didn't ever ask if I needed more hot water or tea (they use Capital Teas which are excellent). I asked for hot sauce and I was nearly finished with my meal before she remembered to bring it. My husband had the Captain Crunch French toast and I had the frittata of the day which was perfectly seasoned and tasty. The hash browns were meh. The food was excellent and presentation lovely. I'm sure we'll be back.
(3)Vanessa K.
My experience at The Main Ingredient was fantastic! My water glass was always full, the good arrived in a timely fashion and I would've had a dessert if I hadn't been so full! I ordered the burger and sweet potato fries, it was one of the most delicious burgers I've had (and I've had a lot). I look forward to trying out more of the menu on future visits!
(5)Lauren A.
I can't wait to come back here! I'm always on the lookout for great breakfast locations in my area, and this one seemed to be close to, if not on, the top of everyone's list. I tried it out, and now I can see why! I ordered some AMAZING french toast.The portions were huge, I couldn't finish all mine. The side selection was wide, and the ability to customize is there and welcomed. The staff was great; I was seated quickly and my server's performance was fantastic. My companion got an omelet that he was more than happy with, as he considers himself picky when it comes to them, which was a pleasant surprise because he customized it pretty heavily. From an outside perspective, the place seems small (located in a shopping strip). The inside, though, is charming and simple. I can't speak for lunch and dinner, but if you're looking for breakfast, I fully recommend Main Ingredient.
(5)Keith C.
We have gotten into a habit of going here before every Bayhawks game and the food is always top notch. The only time it wasn't amazing was on Sunday when there is a very limited menu. The green tomatoes with crab topping are excellent, the crab cakes on brioche is excellent as well. The peach cake was moist and delicious as usual.
(5)William G.
Had a truly wonderful experience here on the night of 2/12/15 We had the hummus to start with which was delectable and then both had the MI Burger, which had an awesome onion jam to complete the burger. Burger was done perfect, jam completed it and the service was impeccable. I am looking forward to dining at this local establishment again....love dining local better than fast food and chain restaurants!
(5)Maggy S.
Ok for brunch, WAAAY overpriced reheated frozen food for dinner. I keep wanting to like this place, but dinner is fresh and more delicious at the Smokehouse. I just noticed there's a line on the MI Yelp post that says "similar to The Iron Rooster" in downtown Annapolis. The MI is unworthy to be mentioned in the same sentence as the Rooster. Harsh but true. Bottom line: Don't bother with the Main Ingredient if you have any other options.
(2)M. M.
Tried to eat here was not able. We were 3 and the waiter refused to sit us on a table for 4, because the designation of the table was four or more. There was plenty of space. Not client friendly
(1)Karen S.
It's a no-fuss place that's got good food, fast service, and lots of little touches that really make you feel like they care about you as a customer. There were only a couple of other parties when we came around 7 on a Sunday night. We were seated and given bread quickly (yay!). Though the bread was a little tough to cut, since it had a pretty hard crust, I appreciated that they had soft, kind of sweet butter. I hate cold butter that's impossible to spread. All of our entrees came out quickly. We ordered a premium burger ($10) and a bacon bleu burger ($12). You get a choice of several different sides, including fries, salad and pasta salad, which is nice. The bacon on the bleu burger was thick and crispy and went really well with it. We also got the Thai chicken quesadilla ($11), which sounds weird but was delicious. The tuna kurosawa ($23) was cooked perfectly. I got the soft shell crab special ($24), which had two pan-fried soft shell crabs, two polenta cakes and mixed vegetables. The crabs were super yummy and topped with a delicious red pepper sauce. The tuna and crabs came with a choice of garden or caesar salad. They have an extensive dessert selection and I saw several people come in just to get some dessert to go. I got a carrot cake to go because I was so full but haven't tried it yet. In their women's bathroom, they have a small table with free pads, tampons and mouthwash, which is awesome. Super thoughtful! Overall, I like that the focus is on the food and the quality of the ingredients--appropriate, given the name. I've been in too many places where the focus is on mood lighting and fancy but uncomfortable furniture, which can definitely distract from the food (although maybe that's the point). Here, service was fast and friendly, not overbearing, and the light touch and great food left me wanting to come back and try more.
(5)Ken M.
Loved it. I had just come from seeing a doctor nearby and it was just a little bit past lunch time (about 1:00). I knew I was rolling the dice on how crowded it might be but I was hungry. Lucky for me, it wasn't that crowded. I was able to get a table for one right away. The menu is pretty varied and even though it's a tad on the expensive side, it's really not that bad for what you get. I ordered the meatloaf with Hungarian mushroom with the side salad. I like the fact that they offer a side salad as a substitute for french fires and other high fat, high carb sides. The meatloaf was delicious. I actually consider myself a little bit of an aficionado of meatloaf. I order it wherever I go if it's on the menu. This stuff was heavenly. I ordered lemonade as a drink and, amazingly, it was real lemonade. Not some overly sugared soda masquerading as lemonade. It has a nice tart taste with a hint of sweetness. I've never had anything like it anywhere else. The waitress was super nice, quick and attentive. I had forgotten what a great place this is to eat. Not super fancy. Just really good food at really decent prices.
(4)Emily V.
This is a pretty good spot for brunch. I would give it 4 stars for brunch. I've also eaten their catering at a wedding where I would give it closer to 5 stars. For brunch, I got the salmon benedict. It was unlike any salmon benedict I had - the salmon was cooked in a filet almost - more typical of what you would get at dinner than the thinly sliced smoked salmon that you usually get on a breakfast benedict. It was definitely different which I give them credit for but I like the sliced salmon better. It was ok flavored, kinda bland. Everyone else at the table enjoyed their meal. For my friend's wedding we got a variety of food to select from, and though I don't remember any of it explicitly I do think that it was better than usual wedding food. The cake which was also from them was one of the best wedding cakes I've ever had. The ambience here is cute and the service, though harried, is friendly. Would probably go back but not before checking out a few other places.
(4)Misti D.
I wish I could give this more stars. Some of their food, like the provencial veggie pie, an empenada filled with delicious veggies, goat cheese, is out of this world. But then, you'll get an entree that is just OK. Their french onion soup was so disappointing. Came to the table with just croutons, no hot, bubbly cheese. Once I dug in I found 2 slices of cheese they put on the bottom, I guess hoping the hot liquid would melt it??? Plus it neede salt to tast. Just shows the hit or miss.
(2)Deborah O.
The old blonde chick sucks at customer service and the person who took the order sucks , a shirt stack is 3 ore more smh. check your receipt before your swipe your card . They will over charger you . I guess because it a small business they need to make there money some how . I miss dc cafés ,quality service and food.. Will not be going back anymore ever or recommending the place ..
(1)Kathy R.
Always a tasty meal to be had at MI. Their sesame chicken wrap is layered to give you a bite of chicken and the veggies every time.
(4)F R.
The Main Ingredient Cafe is really good food and service. I've been for brunch and dinner, and have had catering from them as well. A wide range of options for picky eaters, too. Breakfast Favorites are the chesapeake stack, the crab omelet, and the donut muffin! Dinner Favorites are the salmon and crab cakes. Minus one star because sometimes the food is inconsistent. During busier times, it can sometimes taste like things were rushed to be cooked. But we avoid this problem by just going before the crowds!
(4)Steve C.
Excellent food and very nice atmosphere. Lots of veggie options as well. A great option for healthy food in the Bay Ridge area.
(5)Lin M.
This local breakfast spot in Annapolis is touted as farm fresh ingredients. The wait on a Sunday morning is expected. The portions on the breakfast are large. The specialty seems to be "Eggs Benedict" I ordered the Southern version which touted a cream gravy and biscuit. Unfortunately I assumed the gravy would replace the Hollandaise (s\which I don't like.) No..they poured it on the hash browns. Blah! Just not my flavor palate but the quality was goof.
(3)Emily L.
Some friends in Annapolis suggested meeting for dinner here, and we were grateful -- probably never would have otherwise entered this unassuming cafe in a strip mall. Very glad we came, though! It was a blustery, yucky evening, so when my friend ordered the Tuaca Tea, we all followed suit. Our server returned apologetically a few minutes later to say they were out of Tuaca. My friend's husband suggested B&B instead, which I have to say might have been even better! The tea itself was delicious, spiced and fruity and hot, but the hit of brandy warmed me all the way through. When our server asked the usual "Any questions?" I asked what made their Famous Hungarian Mushroom Soup famous. "Oh," she said, "You MUST order that." So I did. Silky, creamy broth studded with sliced mushrooms and fresh dill: it disappeared quickly with bites of their fresh, steaming bread. We all shared. A few people also had side salads, which looked plentiful and fresh. I ordered an entree salad with vegetables, a crab cake and lime-cilantro dressing. It was excellent: the crab cake was a nice twist on the Maryland standard, a little lighter with some south-of-the-border flair. I loved it, but I have to say, even more memorable was the bite of my friend's chicken au poivre entree. Oh, my: peppercorn-encrusted chicken breast topped with mushroom sauce, gorgonzola and caramelized onions? It sounds like too much, but the proportions were just right, and the tender chicken and sauteed vegetables. kept it from being too heavy of a dish. The menu was incredibly varied, offering everything from pasta and sandwiches to Thai and Indian curries, steak and seafood. Based on what I saw and tasted, I think they probably do everything well! I can't wait to go back. And this time, I'll make sure to save room for one of their famous desserts.
(4)Aaron K.
Stood and waited for five minutes at the cake case for someone to help me out and no one would even acknowledge my presence. Deserts looked good from behind the glass. They weren't even busy. Oh well. Never again.
(1)Jane W.
There are three reasons I love to go to The Main Ingredient Cafe: 1) The food is amazing and I have tried many selections from the menu, including my all-time favorites--the Snickerdoodle French Toast for breakfast, the Craisin Chicken Salad for lunch, and for dinner the famous Hungarian Mushroom Soup (for which my sister would fly from California) and any of the Short Plates; 2) the staff is always friendly, courteous and helpful; and 3) the wine selection is interesting and unusual. The Cafe has a warm and friendly atmosphere, obviously well-liked by its many neighborhood regulars, and I have always had an enjoyable and delicious experience there--and I didn't even mention the fabulous desserts!
(4)R S.
Excellent! I had the Greek Godess (i know,right?!) It was a welcome breakfast in a pleasant atmosphere. Try it for breakfast! Go soon!
(4)Dirk J.
Another visit and I'd say it was better than the first. I ordered one of the eggs benidict dishes and it was fine, could have used more hollandaise, the tomatoes more finely chopped, and I think they need to rethink their home fries. The fries are tasty, but it's like having french fries with your breakfast. Maybe a little more home and less fry. The coffee was good. If there was a 3 plus rating is give that.
(3)Jessie C.
I don't live in Annapolis, but every time I am in town visiting family I have to go to The Main Ingredient. I have never had a bad meal there and I know no matter what I order it will be delicious! For lunch one of my favorites is the Chicken Bruschetta Caesar Salad. I have a hard time deciding between it and the Cafe Salad with the yummy gorgonzola and candied pecans. For dinner my favorite hands down is the Tuna Kurosawa...Rare tuna with sesame seeds and snow peas and mashed potatoes. My husband gets the crabcakes. Always. Breakfast is not my favorite meal of the day, (I usually skip it) but the omelettes are great and their breakfast potatoes are crispy and flavorful. Another favorite is the Chesapeake Stack with crispy fried cheddar polenta. YUM! You can also get different flavor syrups in your coffee. Main Ingredient also has a HUGE dessert case full of fresh baked cakes. I am usually too full but my grandma always has room for dessert. I will be up in Annapolis in a few weeks and am really looking forward to eating there again.
(5)Jessica D.
Just got finished with a delicious breakfast. This was our first visit to this neighborhood restaurant. Having a long Saturday night we needed a cure. We sat at the bar and got fast attentive service. Their Sunday special includes $4 mimosas and bloody Mary's. The mimosa I had was awesome. The Bloody Mary had old bay on the rim, my husband didn't care for that, so he followed with a screwdriver, which he definitely enjoyed. The menu was creative and everything looked good. We went for the Chesapeake stack and the breakfast sandwich. Although my eggs were wrong, both were very good. The hash browns were awesome! We will be back. The reason they got 4 stars is because they gave us great service. However when we went to grab a drink at the bar, we got taken off the ten minute wait list. Then I ordered scrambled hard eggs and I got a fried egg. It was still delicious tho!
(4)Christina S.
As a vegetarian, I get so excited when I open a menu & right away see vegetarian choices. I almost ordered the veggie burger but it is in fact a frozen Morningstar patty so I halted & got the veggie empanada with house salad. Absolutely delicious! My meat-eating boyfriend had the chili which is also vegetarian & I couldn't contain myself, I gobbled about half. Delightful ambience, prompt, friendly service & healthy, yummy, fair priced food. They cater as well
(5)Angeline F.
My husband and I have eaten here a few times and really enjoy it. Although their sangria recipe changes with the season, it is always delicious!! It's a very nice restaurant for a casual dinner with friends and family. We have never been disappointed with our meals. Since you get a pretty decent sized meal for your money, I suggest you take dessert home. I absolutely love their cakes. Although the slices are big enough to share, my husband and I are always sad when it's gone and fight over the last bite (LoL).
(4)Mark A.
This place had some interesting menu choices. Something you wouldn't expect from the look of it from outside. Our dinner was good. We had the trout lyon which was tasty, but could have been cooked a minute or two less. It was good, but I think I would try something different next time since they have so many interesting sounding items on the menu. Our kids each ordered a different cake for desert and all of them were excellent.
(4)J. D.
Food was incredible. We were a party of four--ordered two appetizers and four entrees. Honestly, everything on the table was fantastic. And yet, it's not the good food that's prompting this review, but the bad service. I'm typically not a complainer. I'm in the hospitality business and I understand that everyone has an off night, but I feel like I spent an eternity tonight just waiting....waiting for wine... the correct bottle--our server brought the wrong bottle twice, gave us a wine different than the one we ordered, then gave us the wine we initially ordered for our second bottle. What? And he blamed all of this on his manager who "just handed him the bottle which he opened and poured without looking at"?! Poor form. Then, despite the fact that our waiter was constantly at our table or buzzing around, he didn't feel compelled to refill waters, clear dirty plates, take our menus, or even take an order. It took him over half an hour to take our order. At the end, it took him 25 minutes to bring a check. It wasn't as if this restaurant was busy--this guy just evidently wrote us off or forgot about us. I don't want to feel like I'm walking into a restaurant and inconveniencing anyone by my presence and patronage; if I'm dining in your restaurant, do not make me sorry to be there. This guy just made me feel as if I had to preface every minor request with an apology...so eventually I just stopped asking for anything. For Christ's sake, someone at my table asked for parmesan cheese, and by the server's response, you would have though she slapped the guy. The server was ridiculously pompous considering two factors: the level of service he gave, and the atmosphere of this cozy little strip-mall joint. The other servers who brought our food were not any more helpful; they just dumped the food on a messy table and bailed--not even asking who got what. Seriously, they dumped and ran. I won't be back. The food is good, but there's better food to be had in Annapolis in places where the staff understand hospitality.
(2)LaToya E.
A friend suggested this place as the gathering place for a small group of friends and their babies to get together for breakfast and chit chat and I am not complaining.. The food was pretty good, I got one of the omelets on the menu and it was pretty tasty. Normally I would give a place like this four stars or above but i had to deduct stars for the service. We had two very small children (under 9 months each) at our table and the wait staff continually put hot dishes down directly in front of them. One person in our group asked that her coffee be put in a to go cup as it would be difficult to drink and hold the baby and the waitress (outwardly annoyed) brought her a cup to do it herself! It's not like the babies were fussy and annoying other patrons, the wait staff just seemed to not know how to not put a child in danger! Overall I would probably return as everyone at the table was happy with their food, but I don't suggest this as a place to go with a family!
(3)Camille A.
I came here cause Miss Shirleys was crowded. Not a surprise. I loved this place. They took me last minute and accommodated me and my friend. I got the veggie omelet and a mimosas that one drink had me feeling nice My one complaint is the bathroom can only fit one person. But what was neat is they have stuff for women when its that time of the month. I loved that part. I would really go again and there is a Rita's across the street in case you want your custard fix
(4)Alexus V.
The food is amazing and I have had some amazing meals here! We love to come for brunch, I have ordered birthday cakes from here and have also gotten lunch to go. All around delicious. Unfortunately, when we eat in, we almost always seem to get a server who isn't personable or friendly. They almost act annoyed at any request and don't seem to care how you are doing or how your meal was. The service is adequate, but that is all most of the time. Otherwise, the food is phenomenal which is what keeps us coming back. Their burgers are outstanding, the salads are all unique and so flavorful! And they add a sweet little touch to their salads with a small pumpkin muffin. The brunch is absolutely all around great, probably due to the fact that they are a bakery and have some of the best croissants and other pastry items around. I would say they're worth a try for any meal of the day!
(4)W W.
Had dinner here. It was pretty good. The steak was very juicy and soft. The wine was meh... so-so.
(4)Steve Y.
Great place to eat but they have no idea how to seat people. We were told "25 minutes" for a wait time, as were the 5 parties before us who were already waiting for 30-45 minutes and the 3 parties who came after us. One of the 3 parties was a lady who told me she called to put her name in 15 mins ago but was told "25 minutes" upon checking in at the stand. All the while we waited, we watched the hostess stare at/ignore the 5 empty tables in both rooms. She also kept looking for "Robinson party of 2" even though there was no such party responding. Luckily there was an opening at the counter for us to sit at or we would still be waiting alongside the 8 parties I've already mentioned.
(3)Meghan C.
Food = 4, probably even a 5 - very, very good although a few bucks more than it probably should be. Service sucked though! Wine glass sat empty the entire time, took forever for us to get our check. The fish tacos at lunch were amazing and the side Caesar was excellent - my mom got the bruschetta chicken Caesar and she was very happy with it. But yeah, the service sucks!!
(3)Raquel M.
I'm writing from a celiac point of view, it says it is gluten free friendly... However, the menu is very vague on your options, and not very helpful. I was disappointed, and they up charge a lot to substitute their toast w fruit.
(3)Montie Y.
Arrogant, snooty service. Food is great!!!!
(2)TheVery ..
Mixed feelings about the experience here. We drove here specifically to try the snickerdoodle French toast. It took the serve awhile to show and when she did, she never introduced herself. Our drinks came in a reasonable amount of time... but 30 minutes passed without food. The manager did agree to drop the food from our bill, which helped a bit. And I must say that when it FINALLY arrived, the snickerdoodle French toast we craved was wonderful - great sweet twist on a comfort food staple. I certainly won't ever drive out of my way to go there again, but if I was in the area and my my car broke down outside I would probably give it another shot.
(3)James E.
Great place! Coffee was delicious, which is the most important start for breakfast for me. The food was great and the staff was courteous and prompt. Definitely a hidden gem that I would recommend. I will be going back to try the dinner options in the near future.
(5)Joe K.
Every good morning needs to have an equally as good meal to ensure the right start. In Annapolis, with some of the best culinary options in the area, The Main Ingredient Cafe is a great place to stop in. Located right off bay ridge road, the location offers plentiful free parking, and is easily locatable from the road. Once inside the cafe is spacious and offers small, large tables and booths. This place was referred to as the place to go, " when Back Porch Cafe is slammed," or when it's not open as it's seasonal, but is an exceptional alternative place to visit. The breakfast menu offers a wide selection of choices from some specialty options for their brunch menu ( Sunday only), like their crab omelet with asparagus. With options to custom make a omelet of your choice, or try some delicious cinnamon swirled french toast ; I choose the basic breakfast of eggs, bacon, and hash-browns. The orange juice is apparently fresh squeezed, but tasted like Simply Orange. The eggs were great, and though simply scrambled, they weren't over good and seasoned well. My side of bacon had 4 pieces, and the hash-browns were some of the best I have had. Over-all the service is great, friendly, fast and efficient ; the entire meal didn't take to long from start to finish and was a great way to start the day. 4 stars, I recommend a stop in!
(4)Linda J.
Bland is the best I can say. Waitstaff is SO nonchalant, they might still be asleep from the night before. Not hateful, fairly efficient and I really don't want to be your friend, but so completely uninterested in nice, caring service you have to think they are better than this job. Food was fine, OK, but portions were minimal, taste was serviceable and presentation was uninspired. The whole experience was "phoned in". Who cares? For $28 for two people? I do.
(2)Meredith W.
Food for lunch was good, amazing black and blue burger (according to my husband), the sweet potato fries were PERFECT and given out in large quantities. The food was a little pricey for what you get (especially at lunch). I will admit I was not a huge fan of the chicken club, maybe I should have read the description better but it was more like a chicken burger then a club (chicken breast on a croissant with bacon, tomato, and lettuce). I was also not a huge fan of the sesame chicken appetizer, it was too dry. I think I like main ingredient for breakfast better, but lunch was still good.
(3)Nicole S.
Great food. First visit to this wonderful cafe. We came for breakfast (brunch) on Sunday, no wait. Wonderful service, large portions! We will definitely return. Snicker-doodle french toast was absolutely delicious!
(4)Sab R.
I love this place! I've been here for brunch so many times because the food is so delicious! Really is the best brunch in Annapolis. They also sell cupcakes/cakes/slices of cakes which are really good as well. I gave a 4 star because the customer service is lacking at times... Servers are not the friendliest but i will keep going back because the food is so good!
(4)Beverly W.
Terrible coffee! Yuck! I guess by serving awful coffee, you don't need to worry about refills! The food was fair. We won't come back anytime soon.
(2)Camden W.
The Main Ingredient is one of my go to lunch/brunch places in annapolis. A varied menu and efficient service coupled with a large capacity make it an easy way to satisfy a group with many different tastes. I recommend the hummus wrap with chicken and sweet potato fries. Big fan of the Sunday Brunch but be prepared to wait as everyone else is too!
(4)Sierra S.
This place is awesome. You ought to try the crab and avocado quesadillas. Not a fan of the desserts though.
(4)Mary O.
Had a lovely experience here for breakfast recently after running a race. Our waitress was very helpful in making our requests for additional items to our meals, and the food came out quickly! Great restroom, very thoughtful in providing some products that would be useful in an emergency!
(4)Dan R.
The Main Ingredient is a decent little local brunch place that makes some tasty treats. First thing: they serve Ceremony Coffee- which is excellent in all respects. Great choice on that! Food-wise, it's pretty tasty and they have quite a range of interesting brunch choices. Mostly creative spins on your traditional American breakfast fare, the flavors, combinations and quality were all great. Snickerdoodle french toast was excellent, moist, perfectly spiced and compliments the real maple syrup that comes with it. The bacon was thick, crunchy and chewy. The hash browns... a bit different, more like potato nuggets... might have been packaged and tasted like curly fries from Hardy's. The service was friendly and the clientele tended towards the elderly side, but don't let that deter you youngsters. The atmosphere was simple and subtle, kindof diner-ish with basic booths, soft gentile wall colors and a kindof quaint 1980s midwestern plain-ness.
(3)Jessica K.
I haven't been to the location. This review is based strickly on the fact that they were able to pull off an order for a sugar free baby shower cake. My neighbors and friends decided to throw a small baby shower for me. Knowing that I have developed gestational diabetes they searched high and low to find me a cake that I could actually eat. After calling Peace of Cake in Stevensville (which I'm a huge fan of) and Carolines Bakery in the Cape they stumbled across The Main Ingredient. Can I just say the cake was awesome?! I though it was just b/c I hadn't had sugar in months but my friend had some as well and said she thought it was great also! Kuddo's to you MI...You've earned a new loyal fan!
(4)Dave S.
Have time. It's slow here. It seems to be a family business and the ladies behind the counter are more interested in gossip than in serving customers. Not impressed. The food is quite good when you do eventually get it. Unfortunately this is not a pleasant experience.
(2)Katie K.
The service is excellent. The food is delicious. Definitely recommend the Hungarian mushroom soup. Sweet potato fries are perfection! My only gripe was that there was too much dressing on the salads and wraps. Otherwise it was a great lunch!
(4)T K T.
I had excellent service. Small, clean, and comfortable. Florentine Benedict was delicious. Dessert to my left is screaming my name...looking forward in visiting again and trying everything else. Definitely would recommend to my friends n family.
(4)Nina U.
What happens when Back Porch Cafe is slammed? Head on over to The Main Ingredient! Nice and clean and simple and renovated- this is a great place for kids, families with larger parties, older grandparents (who were drinking bloody marys. too cool too cool.) or people like me. All of their food seems nice and fresh and delicious. I wish I had room after my potatoes (the best) and the hungarian mushroom scramble which is scrambled eggs with cream of mushroom soup (rich but good!). The pastries and cupcakes in the deli case look scrumptious. Next time.
(4)Richard W.
Mediocre stand by here in Annapolis - food not outstanding, general very adequate especially for bronchitis or lunch. Has there been a change of ownership? notice lots of new wait staff, several Thai dishes to the menu, and a significant increase in prices!
(2)Jen L.
I usually go here for brunch. I'm an Eggs Benedict fan and they have 4 varieties of Eggs Benedict!!!! My favorite is is the Eggs Benedict with balsamic vinegar and tomatoes. YUM! The MD Crab Eggs Benedict is also a good choice as well. Brunch is my favorite meal from this place. Because I am breakfast person this place has earned itself an extra star. Well OK, the extra star is also for all of those Capital Deal of the Day Coupons for free Hungarian Mushroom Soup. Free food always helps. Other than breakfast, I'd have to give this place an OK rating. The atmosphere is interesting. It's like an upscale diner. They're actually located off of Forest Drive in a small off to side upscale strip-mall. They have wine and very nice desserts, which is not typical of a diner, but it kind of has a diner-like feel. The dinner menu is OK. I like the Hungarian Mushroom, but it can be a bit too salty for me. I got the 6 oz Filet which was very good (tender and juicy and prepared the way you want it). But I didn't see anything else on the menu that appealed to me. I wasn't very hungry, so maybe that was the problem.
(4)Shari C.
Banana almond pancakes were awesome!!! Service not so much... Made a reservation over the phone and when we arrived no reservation recorded.
(4)Kelley S.
This is a review for the Main Ingredient Catering. I recently had a dinner party catered by them, and the food was horrible! I ordered 2 trays of different pasta dishes and by the end of the night barely any of it was eaten. The store bought items some of guests brought were completely devoured, so my guests were definitely hungry. The food was so inedible that all the leftovers were thrown out. The salad was fairly fresh and the bread was a good, but that is about the only good thing I can say. When I have used caterers in the past, most have asked for feedback and/or followed up with a phone call to see how the event was. This place is so arrogant that they didn't even bother to ask. I will not be using them again.
(1)Phil B.
This is a review for Main Ingredient Catering. They catered my backyard wedding and did a supremely professional job of it. Everyone, from the manager to the cook to the wait staff, was kind and courteous - displaying very high levels of customer service. And the day of the wedding the weather turned dreadful - torrential rains that did nothing to change their attitude and service. On to the food: amazing! The appetizers, entrees and desserts were cooked and prepared perfectly. My friends and family raved. I highly recommend using Main Ingredient for any Catering event you may have.
(5)John G.
This place has really good service and food. I wish their beer list was as good as their wine list at dinner to allow for more options! Breakfast is also really good. Its hard to pick one thing specific, because I have eaten there three times and it was good each time. When it comes to dessert, we were disappointed to find out they did not have any more Canoli cake, but my wife enjoyed the carrot cake to make up for it!
(4)Erin W.
Love pretty much everything about this place. Originally, I mostly thought of it as a breakfast place, but it is way more. They have delicious salads, wraps, and specials, not to mention a bakery to die for. They serve cafe pronto coffee, which is delicious! I'm not usually a fan of Caesar dressing, but they have cilantro Caesar dressing that I often crave. It's on the mexi wrap and the mexi salad. If you are a fan if eggs Benedict, this is your breakfast stop, they have several different types and the two I've tried are delicious. Also, I can't go here without getting muffins to go from the bakery! The pumpkin and cranberry orange muffins are easily the best I've had.
(5)Megan K.
The meal was OK, not great as described by friends who are regulars. They did say the food was off (steaks were not cooked correctly). Excellent service though, very helpful and attentive. I did happen to have their catering service, which was very good.
(3)John V.
All these years in Annapolis, and I had never been to the Main Ingredient until yesterday. Now I know what I was missing. Then a friend suggested we eat there, and my eyes were opened. The menu is basically casual American, with a few one-offs thrown in, such as Pad Thai. The menu featured their "famous" Hungarian Mushroom Soup, so I gave it a shot. Excellent! A rich cream-based soup with sliced mushrooms, seasoned with paprika and dill ... just enough for flavor, but not overwhelming. I moved on to the Millstone Shrimp, which was described in the menu as "sautéed jumbo shrimp finished with corn, bacon, crabmeat, sherry and a touch of cream, served with cheddar grit polenta and grilled asparagus." Read that, and you expect a couple shrimp and a puny amount of crab ... not here, lots of tender shrimp and more crabmeat than shrimp! The flavors blended perfectly for a very satisfying meal. I shooed the waitress away when she offered the dessert tray, no room for that. But they looked good, and I overheard folks at another table getting their dessert to go. Bonus last night, Wednesday is half-price night for bottles of wine. A Pino Grigio went very well with my repast. I'll be back, with my spousal unit in tow this time.
(4)Amilynn A.
Went for a brunch with a friend, and for a Sun morning they were pretty empty and the service was slow.... The food was good, we got the hummus appetizer, fish tacos (kinda bland) and a quiche. They are not very family friendly, or welcoming, maybe it was just our server. I brought my 2 yr old, who was surprisingly well behaved and the waitress was borderline rude about us having her there. Didn't offer a booster, bring an extra plate for her or set of silverware. And at the end they bring a huge plate of 8 cake pieces to offer a dessert, and although I understand its a bakery that almost sent my 2 year old over the top when I declined piece
(2)Geoff G.
The Main Ingredient gets the nod for the "Almost Best" breakfast in Annapolis. No one can touch Ken Upton, owner of the Back Porch, but Main Ingredient is in a close 2nd when it comes to the most important meal of the day. If you live in Annapolis, compromise, and make the Back Porch your go to breakfast joint from April - October and when they close, switch over to the Main Ingredient to hold you over during the winter months. The Main Ingredient makes delicious Benedict (a variety of different ways) and they also have delicious omelets. For lunch, they have a great selection of salads and sandwiches. If you have never been to the Main Ingredient, then what are you waiting for? You won't be disappointed.
(4)Mark B.
Main Ingredient catered mine and my husbands wedding party this past weekend and I have to say they surpassed our wildest expectations! Not only was the meeting in their catering office friendly and professional but they accommodated our every need. The food and by the way the flowers we ordered from a neighboring florist were delivered on time by Main Ingredient and the nicest young man named Colin. If that wasn't enough the food was a huge success......everyone at our party raved about all of the food. The crab cakes were superb as was the shrimp. The steak and chicken cooked to perfection. Long story short if you need an amazing caterer I strongly suggest Main Ingredient!!!
(5)Nick C.
We ate here on a Sunday morning and were seated upon arrival- no wait. Good eggs Benedict, kids liked the pancakes, wife did not like the French toast as it was burnt. Waitress was good and personable. Better than IHOP is a direct quote from my wife. I can only comment on breakfast. Kids liked it.
(3)Teresa k.
What a find! I lunch here weekly with my knit gal friends. Erin, our server is simply THE BEST! She remembers our names, our beverages, and is always smiling. The menu is extensive and everything I've tried has been delicious!
(5)aloha-ellen m.
I've had two chicken wraps thru their catering service... one was the craisin walnut, the other was the Caribbean jerk. In both cases the wrap was soggy and tore wide open, and the vegetable contents were also soggy and had what i can only compare to an over-cooked texture. Basically, they were both inedible. The thick chips and veggie dip were ok, had a horseradish flavor but needed 'something'. But the fruit kabob and cookies... they were excellent!
(1)Isa B.
I had a meeting in one of the offices upstairs and wandered in here for some lunch. I was very surprised by the high quality of food I received at a place that is part of a strip mall. I had an amazing crab and lobster salad on a bun. Everything was home made. The only complaint I had was that the salad was served with the dressing on the side. I much prefer my salad already dressed, so the dressing is spread evenly. I would definitely recommend stopping in if you are in the area.
(4)Jessica P.
So, I am in love with their big cup of chai that is half the size of my head and the great twists to comfort food classics are great They should seriously consider expanding the space or opening a location in edgewater or where the borders closed in Bowie ( I work in Bowie, it would be great to have someplace like this). My only gripe is the location it does not do this place justice with limited parking and being an out of sight treasure tucked into a strip mall and they need a patio or rooftop that would be wonderful!. I go there for lunch on the weekends with my sister when she is back from college this is her #1 request, I have yet to enjoy the breakfast that everyone that has been here raves about!
(4)Dana K.
This cafe offers good food & quick service. They had no issues with a special order due to son's metabolic disorder and everything was prepared exactly the way we asked. My husband built his own omelette and greatly enjoyed it. I had the breakfast burrito and was initially put off by it's presentation but the taste was great. Looks can be deceiving! The bread they served with breakfast was delicious. We will definitely return if we are in the area again.
(4)Courtney C.
My first Mother's Day Brunch was a huge success thanks to the Main Ingredient Cafe. I told my husband this is where I wanted to go so, he made a reservation for us and my MIL. It was busy when we arrived, but they seated us right away. I had already scoped out the menu so, I knew what I wanted. Unfortunately, they were out of cinnamon buns. I asked for two fried eggs without hash browns, wheat toast, a side of fruit and one pancake. Our waitress messed up and I ended up with both hash browns and sausage that I didn't want. My husband ordered an omelet without onions and it had onions on it, but it was fixed quickly without fuss. My MIL also ordered an omelet and really enjoyed it. The food was excellent and even on a very busy day our food was fairly prompt. Our waitress was polite and friendly, but messed up several times. She also asked me how much weight I had gained during pregnancy. I'm sorry, but that's a big 'no-no' to a new Mommy. Even if I did lose every ounce in just a week. Its plain rude and you wouldn't ask a new Mom who still had a lot of her pregnancy weight to lose the same question. The bathrooms were clean and we didn't have any problems parking. I would absolutely come back, but probably on a less popular brunch day.
(4)Juliet G.
"Fabulous French toast " was just that. My friend had "the kitchen sink" and loved that too. The place is clean and has a wonderful menu! Would definitely go back and even try it out for dinner.
(5)Drew P.
Nothing special but its Annapolis so what do you expect? Food is mediocre so is the service, somethings way overpriced as well. Two breakfast burritos (with flat eggs in them) with pico de gallo and one slice of avocado in each for $10.
(2)Doug H.
This place is fantastic. My fiance introduced me to The Main Ingredient a few months ago and I had one of the best meals I've ever had at a restaurant. First off, everyone should definitely know beforehand that this isn't the biggest place in the world. If it has more than 25 tables I'd be surprised. That said, a majority of the seating is booth. When you do sit at a table they're mostly well placed and spaced from other tables. To the good part. After entering the restaurant we were greeted and sat rather quickly. Not too long after that our waitress came to our table and took our drink order. So far, so good. We started off by ordering one of our more favorite wines - White Zinfandel. A wine that can bring out the good qualities of a lot of food. After opening and pouring our initial glass of wine for us she took our appetizer and dinner order. For an appetizer we ordered Artichoke and Crab Crostini. While the portions aren't huge we both found them to be perfect for an appetizer. Taste is great and really worked well with the White Zinfandel. For dinner I had Herb Crusted Salmon. My better half had the Lemon Basil Shrimp Scampi. Again, both were just great. Everything tasted really well together and made for a very well round meal. I didn't have anything to bring home with me while my fiance only had some pasta leftover. Service was above average. Our waitress was kind of cold but she was quick to the punch and timed serving our meals perfectly. We recommend The Main Ingredient to everyone. There's no situation where we wouldn't.
(5)Christine C.
OK, not sure if Patrick is hitting it at bad busy times or what. We went for dinner on a Thursday night and had wonderful food, service and ambiance. We sat in a booth close to the display window... OMG, everything looked so good, huge cakes just like a diner/cafe should have. First we were pleasantly greeted by one of the servers who promptly sat us down at a table of our choice (it was the last booth left). We immediately were given a hot loaf of bread and whipped butter. The butter was the best butter ever... it was whipped with a touch of zest of orange from what I can tell... what a great flavor... It was just awesome. For the first dish I had a Hungarian mushroom cup o' soup, and it was amazing as well, lots of dill and flavor, lots of mushrooms.. just tasty and hot. Neil had a Cesar salad and it was good. I had a Salad for dinner, the Cafe Salad with walnuts, pears, an amazing vinagrette.. and a little pumpkin muffin with raisins.. just delish. Neil had the three sausage special, and it came with the mustard on top and it just looked great, he loved it. We did not have room for dessert but the food was great. We will definitely be going back for more.
(5)Mike H.
This place is totally overhyped for some reason. The food is okay, the service is okay, the price is okay. Nothing special about any of it. I have only tried it twice because there are just so many better restaurants in naptown. I will give the thumbs up to their desserts though.
(2)Emi L.
I ordered my sixth cake recently. So very disappointed by the unprofessional person taking the order. She argued with me that it was not possible to order a cake as I did because the frosting could not be decorated. When I told her it was a repeat of an order I received in february, she had to check and although she found it, she continued to argue with me because she had 15 years of experience and it just wasnt possible. I was so upset by her treatment of me that I cancelled my order and will not order cakes from there again. Complete lack of customer service. When I spoke to the manager, all she would do is offer to take my order! Take my order?! I think not.
(1)P. W.
I try to stop by this restaurant when I'm working in Annapolis (Outside Sales). I've always had a great meal. My wife and I had lunch there last Friday and she enjoyed it just as much as I did. The Nantucket Chicken Salad Wrap (delicious), The Salmon Wrap (delicious), Mushroom soup (delicious) , mini Pumpkin Muffins (delicious) and last but not least their Carrot Cake (Incredible). Service was very good. Janet made our experience even better. Personality A+!
(5)Dennis B.
Every time we come into town we try to stop by - if not for a great meal, at least for their wonderful pumpkin muffins (although they have become a bit too overpriced at $12+ for a dozen). We especially like their salads and omelets. At times, the line is out the door, but their recent expansion has helped. Plan ahead.
(4)Katie W.
I really expected to like this place more. It's a good restaurant and I want to support them. I think things could use a little tweaking, though. I went for some breakfast this morning to wrap up a fun weekend with friends. We got there around 9:15 on a Sunday and didn't have to wait. There were several parties waiting by the time we left around 10, though. The coffee was fine - nothing special, but hot and fresh. I was a little disappointed that the hash browns weren't gluten free. In my opinion, the best hash browns are cooked with a little oil, salt, and pepper in a skillet. Perhaps with the option to add onion if you so desire. I see no reason to ruin perfectly delicious and naturally gluten free potato goodness with a silly gluten-filled coating. Even if I could have eaten them, they really didn't look that appealing. Cubed potatoes that could have been from the freezer section. Meh. The omelets were, thank goodness, gluten free. I opted for the one with crab meat. It sounded really good, but fell flat. The crab taste didn't really come through, and it was overall just kind of bland. The corn salsa on top tasted ok, but was a little sad looking. Maybe not as fresh as it could be. Fresher corn and a sprinkling of fresh herbs would have made a huge difference. Or maybe mixing crab, corn and herbs together and putting it on top of a regular omelet would have worked better... I got a side of fruit instead of the toast, and it was good, fresh fruit. They get kudos for that. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten tasteless fruit in the middle of fruit season! Anyway, moving on...I also shared a side of bacon that was cooked very well - crispy but not burned and with a little softness in the right spots. The orange juice that others got looked like good, freshly squeezed juice. I don't think anyone in the group was knocked over by anything they got. I love that they use organic, cage free eggs. At home that's all I buy, and I am so pleased to see that offered in a restaurant, and not as some up-charge option. The place is bright and clean, and our server was attentive and pleasant. So, like I said...this place is good but just not great. I'd go back again maybe one more time. I'm not sure I'd wait for a table, but if the timing was right...
(3)Evan J.
I could say a ton. This place is simply AMAZING. For lunch and dinner that is. Don't do breakfast here; go to Panera. The staff is courteous and helpful, the atmosphere is cozy. Their pies and tarts are delicious, and the coffee is Caffe Pronto, locally roasted. As far as places to eat go, this might win hands down for me. Best meatloaf I've ever had. Period. Even homecooked. Their curry chicken salad is enormous, but delicious. Get a takeout box for it, though. It's that big. And so you're sure you have room for pie. Key Lime pie. Theirs is awesome, trust me. I don't even LIKE key lime pie. Dangerous Pies in DC or Baltimore is the only comparison. If I had the money, I'd eat at Main Ingredient every week. And they don't rush you out, which is few and far between in this country.
(5)Liz K.
From the time I found their website and decided to book them for my sister's pre-wedding girls brunch, I really wanted to give Main Ingredient 5 stars. Unfortunately, I cannot. We made reservations for 15 people 3 weeks ahead of time. We were assured the small cafe would have no trouble with a group of this size. Okay, so far so good. Two days before the Friday morning brunch, we called to confirm the reservation and add one more person - 16 people total. Day of, my mom and I arrive 15min early to set out place cards and what not... and we were met with deer-in-headlights looks from the two waitresses. "You have a reservation for 16??" Um, yes, for 3 weeks now, we've had one. Made us wonder who in the world did we talk to on the phone those two times. Geesh! Thank god the place was not busy and the waitresses were able to pull together enough tables so we could all sit together. They were also calm and cool and said they had it under control, and it seemed that they did. The bride arrived just as water was being set at all the places, so she had no idea 10min earlier we had no table! Everyone was seated, orders for coffee and juice placed, and pastries served. The pastries were GREAT! We all ordered food, which took a while to come out, IMO. A number of people ordered breakfast scrambles, which seemed to confuse the kitchen... two of them came out as a mixture of the two orders... and my sister's was COMPLETELY wrong and VERY late to arrive. Like, I was done, and then hers arrived. Not cool. Fortunately she was very calm/cool about the whole thing. I ordered my usual measuring stick - eggs benedict. These were sub-par: my eggs were completely cooked through and the hollandaise had ZERO flavor. I said nothing and ate it anyway - didn't want to spoil the good vibes of the group! As someone else has mentioned here, the breakfast potatoes are more like Orida potato cubes - that could not be more accurate. Not so special and not so good. My mom had the eggs florentine, which was actually pretty good and a somewhat creative take on the traditional. Ugh, Main Ingredient, I really wanted to like you, but I just didn't. You get rave reviews about your lunch, dinner, and catering, so maybe breakfast just isn't your thing. Clearly reservations aren't your thing either.
(2)Katie R.
Main Ingredient is my to-go place for breakfast! When you go for breakfast, ORDER THE SNICKERDOODLE FRENCH TOAST. It's in all caps because I'm yelling at you to order it! Every single person I've ever introduced it to has loved it! It's a massive portion and is more than enough for two people. My 4 person family could easily order 4 separate orders and knock them all down and happily bring our leftovers home. I've been here for lunch/dinner and it's alright, but 100% my fave for breakfast!
(4)Anca M.
I have had lunch there on about four occasions and was always pleased with the food and service. They have excellent burgers, yummy salads and very good breakfast. The downside to it, not many options on getting the dressing on the side, the salads are already dressed with the sauce. The price is also a bit high. Good food, but overpriced, I think. 3 1/2 stars, I'd say.
(4)